Specialist disputes
Construction, technology and digital-asset disputes
Technically complex disputes need a clear account of both the legal obligation and what failed. The DIFC Courts have specialist procedures, but jurisdiction and any arbitration agreement still come first.
- Construction delay, design defects and payment certification
- Software delivery, service failure and technical evidence
- Digital-asset custody, ownership and platform disputes
A closer look at the matter
Forums, evidence and practical decisions
Technically complex disputes need a clear account of both the legal obligation and what failed. The DIFC Courts have specialist procedures, but jurisdiction and any arbitration agreement still come first.
Specialist DIFC division
Technology and Construction Division
Part 56 concerns technically complex claims within DIFC jurisdiction. It does not create a separate right to sue over every Dubai building project.
Specialist DIFC division
Digital Economy Court
Part 58 addresses suitable digital-economy disputes within the Court's jurisdiction. A digital asset is not by itself a DIFC jurisdiction clause.
Arbitration institution
Dubai International Arbitration Centre (DIAC)
Administers proceedings under the applicable arbitration agreement and rules. The tribunal decides the merits. The legal seat determines the supervisory court framework.
How to organise the first assessment
- 01
Identify the contract, forum and technical issue
- 02
Preserve the underlying records and obtain focused analysis
- 03
Select the suitable division or arbitration procedure
- TCD
- Part 56 covers suitable technically complex matters. A case must be issued in or transferred to the division through the applicable process.
- Digital Economy Court
- Part 58 addresses suitable digital-economy claims. It is a division of the DIFC Courts and does not replace the jurisdiction analysis or regulatory perimeter check.
- Expert work
- Define the questions needing specialist evidence. Give the expert the underlying data and adverse material, not just a preferred narrative. Explain the link between technical failure and the loss claimed.
Worked examples
These are hypothetical situations, not accounts of the firm's cases or promises of an outcome. The linked guides explain related issues in more detail.
Illustration 01
Employer delay occurred, but the contractor's notice was late
- The situation
- An extension claim relies on late access to site. The employer invokes the notice clause.
- The route and what matters
- Compare the contract's time-bar wording with the notice chronology, instructions and programme. Technical proof of delay and satisfaction of the contractual claim procedure are separate issues.
Illustration 02
A system goes live but repeatedly loses transactions
- The situation
- The customer withholds the final milestone payment and claims lost revenue from outages.
- The route and what matters
- Preserve specifications, test results, acceptance criteria, change requests and logs. Separate a defect, an agreed change and operating conditions outside the supplier's promise. Analyse causation and contractual limits.
Illustration 03
Digital assets disappear during an OTC transaction
- The situation
- One party says the intermediary held the assets only to facilitate settlement. The other says it assumed custody obligations.
- The route and what matters
- Trace the agreed role, wallet control, transaction identifiers and transfer instructions. Ownership and responsibility require evidence. An identifiable loss on a blockchain does not by itself establish the defendant or forum.
Documents worth assembling
- Technical contract, specifications and change-control records
- Programmes, notices, tests, logs and acceptance evidence
- Original transaction data and custody/authority records
- Expert questions and a loss schedule linked to the alleged failure
Official sources for this practical section
Consulted on 6 October 2026. Check the applicable version, any later direction and the actual case record before calculating a deadline or filing.
Common questions
Does every construction dispute belong in the TCD?
No. DIFC jurisdiction and the suitability requirements of Part 56 must be established. An arbitration clause also needs assessment.
Does the Digital Economy Court hear every crypto complaint?
No. Jurisdiction, parties, the nature of the claim and division suitability matter. Regulatory and criminal issues may require different routes.
Is an expert report enough to prove the claim?
No. The legal obligation, breach, causation, loss and admissible supporting record still need to be established.
General information about Dubai and DIFC matters. The applicable jurisdiction, law and procedural requirements must be assessed against the particular facts.