UAE resident files for Dh1 billion divorce settlement in Abu Dhabi

Filing made at Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court

Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court was opened to hear all cases governed under a non-Sharia process. Photo: Wam

A woman has filed for a landmark divorce settlement of Dh1 billion at Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court.

The motion was filed by a 39-year-old from the Caribbean, who was married for 20 years before she and her husband began divorce proceedings in April, citing irreconcilable differences.

“I have a deep and unwavering belief in the UAE’s judicial system,” said AM, the woman who filed the claim and has five children. “We’ve lived in the UAE for almost 18 years and built our empire here. My children were born and raised in this country – it’s our home, and I have so much respect for it and for the process currently under way in court.”

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The Dh1 billion claim does not include child support, which is being addressed separately. Earlier this year, an American woman in the UAE was awarded more than Dh100 million ($27.2 million) in a divorce settlement by Abu Dhabi's Civil Family Court.

The payout is believed to currently be the largest to an expatriate woman in a no-fault divorce case by the court, which was established in December 2021.

Byron James, partner at Expatriate Law, who is AM's lawyer, said the significance of the case is not in the potential payout, but what it represents.

“Abu Dhabi is emerging as not just as an alternative, but as a preferred destination for resolving high-value international divorces,” said Mr James.

“The UAE's family court system is now being seen as efficient, sophisticated, technology focused but deeply human, all qualities that are becoming increasingly important to clients at the very top end of the global spectrum.”

The court was opened to hear all cases under a non-Sharia process, including Muslims who are not UAE citizens, to bring the capital into line with international legal practices. As a result of a decision made last year, non-Emirati lawyers are allowed to represent clients in Abu Dhabi's civil court. Previously, only Emirati lawyers could operate in the country's courtrooms.

Since its inception, the court has processed more than 43,000 civil marriage applications – including over 10,000 in the first half of 2025 alone. Nearly 20 per cent of applicants are tourists, reflecting Abu Dhabi’s increasing profile as a centre for legal marriage and family law services.

Youssef Saeed Al Abri, undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Judicial Department, said the case reflects growing global trust in the UAE’s civil justice framework.

“This unprecedented claim is a clear testament to the global confidence in Abu Dhabi’s civil justice system. The Civil Family Court has redefined how family disputes are resolved in the region – through fairness, speed, modern court procedures and full accessibility for expats of all nationalities and religions.”