Doha, August 31 (QNA) - The 2026-2027 judicial year begins on Tuesday, as part of the continued implementation of the Supreme Judiciary Council's (SJC) Strategy (2025-2030), strengthening efforts to develop the judicial system, uphold the principles of swift justice, and improve the efficiency of judicial services provided to the community.

In a statement on Monday, the SJC said the launch of the new judicial year builds on its institutional and judicial development efforts aimed at enhancing judicial efficiency, developing procedures and services, expediting the resolution of disputes, and utilizing modern technologies to support the justice system in line with national development requirements and the aspirations of society.

The Council added that its priorities for the new judicial year are based on the strategic vision of the National Initiative for Developing Justice Systems, which includes integrated areas focused on improving the quality of judgments and judicial services, supporting digital transformation, developing the judicial work environment, enhancing judicial enforcement efficiency, and strengthening institutional governance, thereby achieving the highest levels of efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability.

HE SJC President and President of the Court of Cassation Dr. Hassan bin Lahdan Al Hassan Al Muhannadi said the launch of the 2026-2027 judicial year represents a continuation of the ongoing development of the justice system.

His Excellency noted that the Council is implementing its plans and projects in accordance with the objectives of its 2025-2030 Strategy and Qatar National Vision 2030, with the support of the wise leadership, in a manner that enhances judicial performance, reduces litigation periods, improves services for litigants, and continues to benefit from digital solutions and modern technologies to support faster and more efficient procedures.

He added that the coming phase will see continued efforts to develop various areas of justice, strengthen judicial governance and quality, expand restorative justice, and broaden the use of artificial intelligence, thereby reinforcing the principles of swift justice and ensuring more efficient and accessible judicial services in line with best practices.

He highlighted the pivotal role of judges in the development process and in adopting updated procedures, while praising the role of lawyers and their cooperation with the SJC.

The launch of the new judicial year reflects the readiness of courts, judicial chambers and supporting departments to carry out their duties under integrated operational and organizational plans, ensuring the continued delivery of highly efficient judicial services and the achievement of the Council's strategic objectives in the coming phase.

As part of its development initiatives and projects, the SJC confirmed that it would continue implementing them to improve the litigants' experience and the quality of services, while enhancing integration among relevant entities and developing systems and procedures supporting judicial work to ensure faster completion and higher-quality judicial outcomes.

The Council noted that the coming phase will also see continued efforts to develop the justice system, strengthen institutional innovation, and utilize modern technologies and artificial intelligence in supporting judicial and administrative work, contributing to a more efficient, flexible and sustainable judicial system that enhances confidence in justice and meets Qatar's future aspirations.

The 2026-2027 judicial year begins with a judicial system moving toward greater quality, specialization and digitalization, with services increasingly accessible to litigants in easier and faster ways. It builds on the comprehensive development achieved in recent years in litigation procedures and judicial services, while continuing implementation of the second phase of the National Initiative for Developing Justice Systems and the objectives of the Supreme Judiciary Council's Strategy (2025-2030).

The new judicial year represents a continuation of an integrated development process aimed at achieving swift justice, reducing litigation periods, improving judicial and institutional efficiency, strengthening digital transformation, expanding remote litigation and enhancing alternative dispute resolution, alongside continued development of the courts' operational environment and services provided to litigants.

Regarding the number of judicial chambers, the Supreme Judiciary Council said the new judicial year will begin with a total of 156 judicial chambers across the courts.

The Court of Cassation has six judicial chambers, while the Court of Appeal has 14. The Investment and Commerce Court has 33 first-instance and appellate chambers.

The Court of First Instance includes 10 civil chambers, 47 criminal chambers, 16 family chambers and 12 chambers under the Family Documentation Department, while the Execution Court has 18 judicial chambers.

Preparations for the 2026-2027 judicial year are based on performance indicators reflecting the development of the justice system over the past period. The overall case disposition rate across all courts in 2025 reached approximately 98.85 percent of the 210,513 cases filed, while the courts registered more than 50,000 cases in the first quarter of 2026.

Work during the new judicial year will be based on the Supreme Judiciary Council's strategic pillars, which include civil and administrative justice, criminal justice, commercial justice, digital justice, restorative justice, effective judicial enforcement, judicial governance, family cohesion and institutional excellence.

These pillars provide an integrated framework for continuing to develop the judicial system and aligning plans and projects with the objectives of the Supreme Judiciary Council Strategy (2025-2030), thereby enhancing performance efficiency, the quality of judicial services and the sustainability of institutional development.

The period preceding the start of the new judicial year saw several updates and development initiatives, most notably the issuance of guidelines for conducting remote court hearings, the launch of the smart building project at the Enforcement Court and the expansion of virtual employee services through WhatsApp.

The Supreme Judiciary Council continues to implement projects aimed at simplifying judicial procedures, strengthening governance and quality, and developing alternatives to litigation, supporting the justice system’s readiness for the 2026-2027 judicial year and improving the quality of services provided to litigants.

Digital transformation represents one of the main areas of development during the new judicial year, building on the courts' expansion in digitizing litigation procedures and judicial services. In 2025, the courts received approximately 109,981 requests through the courts’ electronic portal and application. A further 8,596 electronic services were processed through the courts’ system and application during the first quarter of 2026, in addition to more than 65,000 electronic services provided by the Family Documentation Department during 2025.

The Supreme Judiciary Council continues to develop its digital channels to simplify the litigant journey, reduce procedures requiring in-person attendance at court premises, and improve the speed and efficiency of access to services.

In this regard, the Council said the experience of remote litigation had demonstrated the readiness of the courts' digital infrastructure and its ability to ensure continuity of judicial work. Courts heard more than 5,000 cases using video communication technologies, alongside the electronic exchange of legal memoranda, while the Court of Cassation began holding virtual hearings.

During the new judicial year, the Council will also continue strengthening the electronic litigation system, updating regulations governing judicial procedures conducted electronically and developing guidelines regulating remote court hearings.

Regarding judicial services provided through WhatsApp, the Council said it plans to expand virtual employee services through the platform, using process automation to provide judicial services directly. This will allow users to complete several procedures and obtain documents without having to log in through the courts' portal.

The Council noted that these services form part of its efforts to diversify channels for accessing judicial services, simplify procedures and reduce the time and effort required of litigants, thereby improving the user experience and increasing service delivery efficiency.

Regarding developments in artificial intelligence technologies, the Council said the use of AI represents one of the areas of development it will continue to build on during the coming period, following the launch of the Smart Assistant through the judge's platform at the Criminal Court. The system supports benchmarking against legal precedents, identifying relevant legal provisions and summarizing cases within a legal, procedural and secure framework for the use of AI technologies. Future plans include expanding AI applications to the civil courts and using the technology in analytical studies and services for litigants, as well as further developing electronic connectivity and integration with government entities and relevant institutions.

As part of its efforts to expand restorative justice, the Council continues to develop the mediation and reconciliation system, implement the law on mediation in the settlement of civil and commercial disputes, develop the electronic mediation and reconciliation system and its digital services, and expand family reconciliation services.

This approach aims to provide more flexible options for resolving disputes, prevent proceedings from becoming unnecessarily prolonged, and enhance the efficiency of the justice system by enabling disputes to be settled through methods appropriate to the nature of each case.

The second phase of the National Initiative for the Development of Justice Systems includes continued modernization of the judicial legislative framework, encompassing several laws governing civil and commercial litigation, criminal procedures, penalties, family matters and estate distribution procedures. It will also assess the impact of laws that were updated and enacted during the initiative’s first phase.

The plans also include updating the guidelines on indicative timeframes for court proceedings, issuing regulations governing judicial procedures conducted electronically, and issuing guidelines for conducting remote court hearings.

At the operational and logistical levels, the Council continues to develop the working environment in courts and reorganize premises to support greater specialization and the expansion of remote litigation, alongside the development of permanent court facilities. It will also continue building on the smart buildings project at the Enforcement Court, supporting greater systems integration, improved operational efficiency, enhanced security and safety, and a better experience for litigants and visitors within judicial facilities.

The Supreme Judiciary Council affirmed that the 2026-2027 judicial year represents a new stage in the continuing development of the justice system, building on the results already achieved, measuring performance, developing procedures and services, and utilizing digital solutions and modern technologies.

During the new judicial year, the Council will continue implementing its programs and projects in accordance with the objectives of its 2025-2030 Strategy, strengthening the rule of law, improving the efficiency of the judicial system and providing litigants with more accessible and effective services, with the ultimate aim of establishing an efficient justice system that keeps pace with Qatar's aspirations and development journey.

During the 2026-2027 judicial year, the Supreme Judiciary Council will receive visitors at its various litigant service outlets according to specified working hours. All courts at the Lusail, Dafna and Al Sadd premises will operate from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., while the Family Documentation Department at Hazm Al Markhiya, the Council's branch in Al Khor and government service complexes will operate from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

The Enforcement Court will provide services in two shifts, from 7:30 a.m. to noon and from 12:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., while electronic services will continue to be available through the courts’ electronic portal and via WhatsApp. (QNA)