Sharjah Consultative Council approves law regulating judicial experts

The Sharjah Consultative Council has approved a draft law for the year 2026 regulating the profession of expert witnesses before judicial authorities in the Emirate of Sharjah, following the introduction of a number of amendments.

The approval came after deliberations held during the Council's eighteenth and final session of the third ordinary session of the eleventh legislative term, convened at the Council's headquarters in Sharjah.

The session was chaired Halima Al Owais, Chairperson of the Sharjah Consultative Council. Members discussed the draft law alongside the report submitted by the Council's Legislative and Legal Affairs Committee.

The session was attended by Advisor Dr Mansour Mohammed bin Nassar, Member of the Executive Council and Head of the Sharjah Government Legal Department, accompanied by members of the department, as well as Sheikh Faisal Bin Ali bin Abdullah Al Mualla, Secretary-General of the Judicial Council.

The parliamentary chamber of the Sharjah Consultative Council witnessed, during its eighteenth plenary session, extensive and notably in-depth deliberations by Council members on the articles of the draft law regulating the expert witness profession before judicial authorities.

Members reviewed its strategic objectives and legislative significance, recognising expert witness work as a specialised profession upon which decisive technical opinions are built - delivered verbally or in writing pursuant to a judicial mandate or agreement between disputing parties.

In a thoughtful parliamentary reading of the legislation's core objectives, members' interventions focused on how to support the judicial system with qualified and recognised experts, ensuring the integrity of the justice process and contributing to the accuracy of judicial rulings and decisions, while also elevating the standard of professional practice among those working in this field across the emirate.

Through careful and detailed examination of the legal instrument, members thoroughly reviewed the conditions and procedures governing the registration of expert witnesses, available grievance mechanisms, the formation of the Expert Accountability Council, and the adoption of a professional code of conduct and ethics to ensure sound ethical practice.

Discussions also covered licensing requirements for practicing expert witness work, experts' entitlements including fees and expense allowances, and the details of registration schedules covering both national and non-national experts, as well as government employees. Members also examined requirements for registering local and international expert witness firms, alongside procedures for the legal oath administered to experts prior to commencing their official duties.

Members put forward a number of opinions and observations on the draft law's articles during their interventions, with government representatives responding to queries by clarifying the legal interpretation of the provisions and explaining the practical aspects of their implementation.

Following thorough deliberation, the Council approved the draft law for 2026 regulating the expert witness profession before judicial authorities in the Emirate of Sharjah during its eighteenth plenary session.

The session then moved into the closing ceremony of the third ordinary session of the eleventh legislative term of the Sharjah Consultative Council, which opened with a speech delivered by Halima Hamid Al Owais. In her address, she reflected on a legislative journey marked by dedication and achievement - noting that over nine months of sustained work, the Council successfully held eighteen plenary sessions that translated into a comprehensive parliamentary and legislative movement, resulting in the review and discussion of government department policies.

WAM