Latest news with #KD5
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Business
- Arab Times
Airline ordered to pay compensation for flight delay
KUWAIT CITY, June 18: The Court of First Instance (Commercial Division) ordered a commercial airline to pay compensation to Attorney Mohammad Safar due to the delayed departure of his flight from Cairo to Kuwait. Details of the lawsuit filed by Safar against the airline are stated in his explanation. He disclosed that his flight from Cairo to Kuwait was scheduled to depart at 8:05 pm on June 30, 2024 and arrive at 11:05 pm. However, the flight was delayed for more than five hours, departing at 1:45 am on July 1, 2025. He was not notified in advance about this significant delay, which resulted in the cancellation of important client appointments. He requested compensation amounting to KD5,001 for the material and moral damages he suffered. The court confirmed in its ruling that full responsibility lies with the commercial airline and ordered it to pay KD470.
Arab Times
05-06-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
Lawsuits in Kuwait get a fee-lift
KUWAIT CITY, June 5: His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah presided over the weekly meeting of the Cabinet, during which a decree-law amending certain provisions of Judicial Fees Law No. 17/1973 was approved. This amendment is the first in more than five decades. It aims to limit the growing number of vexatious cases, ensure the seriousness of the right to litigation, and promote alternative dispute resolution methods like arbitration and conciliation. The amendment includes the increase of fees and rates imposed on lawsuits with a specified or unspecified claim value. It stipulates a five percent rate if the claim value is up to KD30,000; 3.5 percent if the claim value exceeds KD30,000 up to KD150,000; 2.5 percent if the value ranges between KD150,000 and KD500,000; 1.5 percent if the claim value ranges between KD500,000 and KD5million; and one percent if the claim value exceeds KD5 million. It raised the fees for orders on petitions and requests from KD5 to KD10; KD50 for urgent lawsuits and enforcement issues — up from KD3; court lawsuit fees increased to KD100, including the request to appoint an expert; KD150 for enforcement issues — up from KD30; KD100 for requests to dismiss a judge, expert and arbitrator; KD500 for a request to refer a property to a sales judge; the fee for warnings for each party increased from 500 fils to KD5; cost of stamp duty increased from 500 fils to KD1; and requests to expedite lawsuits, suspension and cancellation are subject to a fee of KD5. Article One of the Decree-Law stipulates the replacement of a number of articles of the Judicial Fees Law with new texts. Article Two states that if the lawsuit includes multiple claims of known value — whether original or reserve, and arising from a single legal cause; the assessment shall be based on their total value. However, if they arise from different legal causes, the assessment shall be based on the value of each one separately. Article Five states that if it is impossible to estimate a claim, it shall be deemed unvalued. The following claims, in particular, shall be deemed unvalued: claims for the authenticity of a signature, claims and objections submitted to the judge of urgent matters, original forgery claims, requests for enforcement of arbitrators' rulings and appeals against such orders, requests for orders to implement foreign court rulings, requests to dismiss judges, experts and arbitrators, requests and orders on petitions submitted to the Execution Department and appeals against them, claims for easements, claims for interpretation and correction of rulings, claims for review of endowments, claims for entitlement to residency in endowment sites or their eviction, and claims for eviction of rented premises. It also stipulates that if a claim includes multiple original claims or original and reserve claims — all of which are unvalued — a fee shall be imposed on each of them separately. If these claims are related, a single fee shall be imposed on them. Under the decree, a fixed fee is imposed on the following lawsuits: personal status lawsuits of all types, partition lawsuits between partners, appeals against orders on petitions, and the list of fees and expenses. Fees are also collected for each lawsuit that has been in effect for one year from the date of its cancellation and has not been renewed from the date of cancellation, or from the date of the expiration of the penal or consensual stay and has not been resumed. A fee of KD5 is imposed for a request to renew a lawsuit from cancellation, shorten its hearing date, or expedite it from the penal or consensual stay. The applicant is obligated to pay this fee regardless of the outcome of the lawsuit. A new fee of 10 percent of the value of the fee due is collected for the lawsuit when it is re-filed within three months from the date of the judgment, as if it never existed, or by abandoning it; provided that the subject of the lawsuit or its litigants do not change. The exemption request shall be submitted to the Clerks Department of the Court of First Instance, accompanied by the supporting documents or a copy thereof. The Clerks Department shall notify the Judicial Fees Department of the request and its documents, so that it may submit its report. A committee of three judges shall be formed to decide on the request in the absence of the parties and without pleading unless the committee deems it necessary to attend. The committee shall have a secretary who will attend its sessions and record its minutes. The committee's decision shall be issued by a majority vote of its members, including the reasons for the decision and the basis upon which the exemption was based. The exemption from fees shall be personal and shall not extend to the heirs of the exempted person or their replacement. The committee referred to in the previous article may, during the course of the case or after judgment therein, based on a request from the Judicial Fees Department or the opposing party in the case, annul the exemption decision if it is proven that the justified incapacity has ceased. The Court Clerks Department shall notify the circuit hearing the case of the annulment decision. If the fee-exempt opponent is required to pay the fees, he must first be requested to pay them. If it is impossible to collect the fees from him, it is permissible to recover them from the concerned party if the state of his inability is no longer in accordance with the previous article. A fee of KD5 is imposed on warnings and notifications — other than notification of the statement of claim, judgment and other notifications related to the progress of a dispute before the court — for each person notified. A fee of 500 fils is collected for each page of the copy of the judgment requested from non-litigants. The same fee is imposed for each page requested by the litigants after they obtained the first copy. A fee of KD1 is imposed on certificates and copies of the lawsuit papers requested by the litigants or others regarding the progress of the lawsuit or the judgment therein. It also stipulates that the courts shall adjudicate in lawsuits and requests for which the fee is paid in advance, or for which a temporary exemption is established. No lawsuit or request may be initiated before this fee is paid. If it is found that it has not been paid, the court shall grant the plaintiff an appropriate period for payment. If he does not pay within that period without an acceptable excuse, the lawsuit is deemed null and void. The provisions of Article 123 of the Civil and Commercial Procedures Law shall apply to orders to assess fees and the appeals against them. Without prejudice to the rules of exemption from court fees, the plaintiff is obligated to pay the fee until a final judgment is issued against the other party. The explanatory memorandum states that Law No. 17/1973 regarding judicial fees was issued more than 50 years ago; and it has not been amended despite the economic and social changes in recent years, including the rise in inflation rate and the level of per capita income, which led to an increase in the prices of goods and services. It added that the increasing level of public culture and trust in the judiciary have encouraged citizens to resort to the courts as a safe haven for resolving their disputes. This has led to a steady increase in the number of cases brought before them; hence, litigants have to endure the pain of waiting for resolution.
Arab Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Arab Times
Nursery licensing fees will increase to KD5,000
KUWAIT CITY, May 14: The Ministry of Social Affairs is currently reviewing a proposal to increase the licensing fees for nurseries from KD2,000 -- payable for five years -- to KD5,000 at a new rate of KD1,000 annually. According to sources, the ministry is conducting a comprehensive review of all its services to identify those requiring price adjustments to better reflect actual costs. This move complies with the directives of the Council of Ministers and is based on the recommendations of the Ministerial Committee for Economic Affairs, which instructed government agencies to coordinate with the Ministry of Finance to reassess the pricing of their services. Sources said the ministry, through its relevant sectors, is evaluating the financial criteria for issuing operating licenses for around 400 nurseries in the country. They revealed that the proposed changes will lead to a licensing fee rise to KD 5,000 distributed evenly over five years. Sources also confirmed that this review is in line with the efforts of the ministry to transform from being solely a provider of financial aid to a revenue-generating entity. 'The goal is to alleviate pressure on the State budget by rationalizing expenditures and boosting income,' sources explained. Sources added that Minister of Social Affairs Dr. Amthal Al-Huwailah is committed to implementing Decree-Law No. 1/2025 on fees and costs for the use of public facilities and services
Arab Times
01-05-2025
- Arab Times
Four Iranians to hang for smuggling 350kg of drugs
KUWAIT CITY, May 1: The Criminal Court, headed by Justice Nayef Al-Dahoum, sentenced four Iranian drug dealers to death after being charged with attempting to smuggle 350 kilograms of hashish, worth KD1 million, into the country. The court also sentenced a citizen to five years in prison and fined him KD5,000 for using psychotropic substances and possessing drugs. Two other defendants were acquitted. According to the case files, the Drug Control General Department in the Criminal Security Sector at the Interior Ministry, in cooperation with the Coast Guard General Department, foiled the attempt of six individuals to smuggle a large quantity of narcotics into the country through the sea. As search and investigation operations intensified against drug dealers and traffickers, information was obtained about some individuals attempting to smuggle a large quantity of narcotics into the country. The vessel was seized immediately after being monitored by the authorities, leading to the discovery of 13 bags containing around 350 kilograms of hashish.
Gulf Insider
21-02-2025
- Automotive
- Gulf Insider
Kuwait To Impound Noisy Cars To Curb Reckless Driving
Kuwait has warned motorists of temporarily impounding noise-making vehicles as part of a new stringent traffic law aimed to boost road safety and curb reckless driving in the country. The Kuwaiti Interior Ministry said it will take strict measures against vehicles that violate security and durability requirements, and emit disturbing noises. The ministry added that any such vehicle will be impounded for 60 days while legal measures will be taken against its driver. Kuwait, a country of 4.9 million people, records between 200 and 300 traffic accidents per day, resulting in 28 to 30 injuries. Some 90% of accidents are caused by inattention while driving. Traffic accidents in Kuwait resulted last year in 284 deaths against 296 in 2023, according to official figures. The fatalities included 11 children under the age of 14. Kuwait is set to enforce in April a new traffic law that incorporates tough penalties and hefty fines, replacing a traffic law that went into effect in 1976. Under the new law, the fine for using a mobile phone while driving increases from KD5 ($16.2) to KD75, while the penalty for not wearing a seat belt triples to KD30. The fine for reckless driving has raised significantly from KD30 to KD150. The penalty for driving past a red light is toughened from a misdemeanor to a felony. This offence is punishable by up to three years in prison and a maximum fine of KD1,000. Officials have repeatedly emphasized that the new traffic law is necessary to reduce serious violations, as traffic accidents are considered the second major cause of death in Kuwait after heart disease.
