ABU DHABI - The Abu Dhabi Judicial Department (ADJD) has adopted the application of the Smart Judicial Decision system in criminal courts.

The system allows parties to criminal cases to file appeals or objections against judgments handed down in absentia, via a link that includes a QR code for direct access to the electronic system and to consult all the information related to the case and the judgment delivered.

The Smart Judicial Decision system also allows parties to have access to the relevant legal provisions and the next steps of an appeal or objection decision, including the methods of appeal, objection and limitation periods, which are available in several languages to the convenience of non-Arabic speaking residents.

Speaking on the occasion, Yousef Saeed Alabri, Undersecretary of the ADJD, said that the adoption of the system in the criminal courts is the result of the digital transformation efforts initiated at the Judicial Department to facilitate procedures and ensure accomplished justice.

It follows the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Presidential Court and Chairman of Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, to develop a smart and innovative judicial system that supports efforts aiming at strengthening the competitiveness of the Emirate and its position as a world leader.

For his part, Judge Mansour Al Marzouqi, President of the Abu Dhabi Criminal Court, explained that the new system allows any defendant in a criminal case to initiate appeal or objection procedures against the criminal judgment, using the smart judgment link which contains a QR code, getting access to his/her rights according to the articles of the law, which are available in several languages from which the user can select to determine the necessary information to initiate procedures according to the applicable legal systems.

He pointed out that the steps to carry out the procedures according to the intelligent system include the receipt by the party concerned by the decision, whether defendant or claimant, of a link with the QR code via his/her phone number registered in the system, while observing all the safeguards to preserve the confidentiality of the information and data and once the code has been entered, a request for appeal or objection to the judgment can be introduced, via the smartphone, through simplified steps and in record time.