Can a commercial dispute become a criminal case in the UAE?
In the UAE, a dishonoured cheque, an unpaid debt or an allegation of breach of trust can trigger criminal proceedings and a travel ban alongside the civil claim. The first hours determine the outcome. Prosilame acts immediately:
- Intervene at the summons, arrest or travel-ban stage before positions harden.
- Build the defence on the criminal file and the underlying commercial dispute together.
- Apply to lift travel bans once the financial dimension is addressed.
- Represent the client before the competent criminal courts.
- Coordinate the international dimension where extradition or Interpol notices arise.
Common failure points
The situations we handle.
- Criminal complaint arising from a commercial dispute
- Travel ban
- Bounced-cheque case
- Custody or summons without preparation
Deliverables
What you get.
Immediate defence
Urgent action from the summons, arrest or travel ban.
White-collar
Fraud, breach of trust, forgery: a structured defence strategy.
Common offences
Representation before the local criminal courts.
International dimension
Coordination abroad, Interpol and extradition where relevant.
Our approach
Our approach to criminal defence.
In the UAE, the line between a civil dispute and criminal proceedings is thin. A bounced cheque, a contested debt, an allegation of breach of trust can trigger a criminal complaint, custody or a travel ban. In these situations, time works against you: the first hours often decide the outcome.
We act urgently — from the summons, arrest or travel ban — to take control of the procedure and avoid irreversible mistakes. We build a strategy that addresses the criminal side and, where it exists, the underlying financial or commercial dispute at the same time, because resolving the cause is often what lifts the consequence.
Emergency defence
Immediate action on a summons, arrest, custody or travel ban.
Economic crime
Fraud, breach of trust, forgery: a structured defence before the local courts.
Travel-ban lifting
A coordinated strategy on the criminal and financial sides to lift the ban.
Frequently asked
Criminal defence — your questions.
Can a commercial dispute turn criminal in the UAE?
Yes, it is common — a cheque or a debt can trigger criminal proceedings. Hence the urgency of an early defence.
What is a travel ban?
An order preventing you from leaving the country, sometimes tied to a civil or criminal dispute. Lifting it requires a proper legal strategy.
Do you act in emergencies?
Yes. In criminal matters the first hours are decisive. WhatsApp contact allows immediate responsiveness.
Related practices and analysis
Related practices, and the analysis behind them.
A matter on criminal defence?
A 30-minute call to map the exposure — travel ban, bounced cheque or criminal complaint — and the options open.
See matters the firm has handled and what clients say about them.
AED 600 individuals · AED 1,000 professionals
Payable before the call, by card or bank transfer. See fee details.