Qatar · Courts
Court structure of Qatar
Every tier of the judiciary, what it hears, and where an appeal goes next.
The hierarchy, top to bottom
- Constitutional — Supreme Constitutional Court
- Constitutionality of legislation and jurisdictional conflicts.
- Final appellate — Court of Cassation
- Apex of the ordinary hierarchy on points of law.
- Appellate — Court of Appeal
- Civil, criminal, family and administrative circuits.
- First instance — Court of First Instance
- Including a dedicated family court applying Sharia and an administrative circuit.
- Financial centre — Qatar International Court (QICDRC)
- Common-law court for QFC and opt-in commercial disputes; proceedings in English.
Every court in the hierarchy
- supremeDohaCourt of Cassation of QatarFinal review on points of law in civil, commercial, criminal and personal-status matters, and constitutional questions pending the establishment of a separate constitutional body.
- specialisedDohaQatar International Court and Dispute Resolution CentreCivil and commercial disputes involving Qatar Financial Centre entities, and any dispute the parties agree in writing to submit to it, applying QFC law based on the common law of England.
- first-instanceDohaCourt of First Instance of QatarFirst-instance civil, commercial, criminal, administrative, labour and family jurisdiction through specialised circuits.
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