Family estate disputes are quite stressful and difficult to handle in the UAE. These issues often involve disagreement over inheritance, property rights, or even guardianship decisions when a loved one passes away. At HHS Lawyers and Legal Consultants, we offer legal advice and strong representation.
Our team understands both Sharia inheritance laws for Muslims and civil personal status laws for non-Muslims. Whether you require assistance with a will dispute, succession planning, or property division, we work towards protecting your rights and resolving conflicts expeditiously yet legally.
We provide Will registration, estate planning, and inheritance dispute resolution across Dubai and the UAE—as per your family’s needs.
Family estate disputes, known as inheritance disputes, emerge when different family members disagree about how to distribute the deceased person’s assets. Such conflicts typically involve disputes about wills, property rights, guardianship, or succession certificates, regardless of whether a will exists.
Family disputes about inheritance occur frequently in the UAE because the country has dual legal systems, which include Sharia law for Muslims and civil personal status laws for non-Muslims. Such disputes do result in delayed settlement of estates, damage the harmony of families, and lead to expensive litigation. That is why it is important to seek early legal planning and advice to avoid any family disputes later on.
Enquire NowThe following are the reasons why most disputes arise:
At HHS Lawyers in Dubai, we will help families avoid or resolve inheritance disputes. For this, we offer expert legal advice and will drafting and court representation in Sharia and civil courts. Our intention is to protect your rights and preserve family harmony through clear and lawful means.
This law came into effect on April 15, 2025, and it provides for inheritance, guardianship, and distribution of estates for Muslims and non-Muslims. It establishes an uncomplicated way to resolve disputes; and introduces structured methods for estate planning and division.
This law allows non-Muslims the right to apply their home country’s laws regarding inheritance and personal status by expressing this intention in a registered will. As such, this offers more flexibility in the estate planning for expatriates who live in the UAE.
This regulation governs all the procedural implementation of the 2022 law that consists of completing the steps of registration of will, managing guardianship, and distributing assets as per the deceased’s will or according to the applicable laws.
| Category | Muslims | Non-Muslims |
| Governing Law | Sharia Law (as per Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2024) | Civil Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 & 2024) |
| Will Requirement | A will is optional. Only one-third of the estate can be distributed freely; the rest follows Sharia law unless heirs agree otherwise. | To apply your home country’s law, you must clearly state it in a registered will—otherwise, UAE civil law may apply by default. |
| Forced Heirship | Yes – fixed shares for spouse, children, parents | No – full freedom if will is registered properly |
| Court Jurisdiction | Sharia Court | Civil Court (if will is registered) |
| Succession Certificate | Required from Personal Status Court | Required from Civil Family Court |
| Real Estate Ownership | Distributed per Sharia shares | Can be distributed per will if registered |
| Guardianship of Children | A guardian can be nominated in a will, but final approval comes from the court based on Sharia principles and the child’s best interest. | Can appoint a guardian in a registered will. Courts usually respect this if it aligns with the child’s welfare. |
| Dispute Resolution | Sharia-based litigation | Civil litigation or mediation |
| Will Registration Options | Abu Dhabi Judicial Department | DIFC Wills Centre or Abu Dhabi Civil Family Court |
Family estate disputes can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to face them alone. At HHS Lawyers, these disputes are resolved with our family lawyers, who possess legal expertise and provide support to assist an individual in resolving disputes and ultimately securing one’s legacy.
Call us today or book an appointment with one of our estate dispute specialists.
Under Muslim law, forced heirship applies, and certain heirs may not be excluded from inheritance. However, for a non-Muslim, he/she is able to disinherit an heir provided that such disinheritance is clearly specified in a duly registered will.
If the person was a Muslim, the estate is to be distributed according to Sharia law, and for a non-Muslim, it is under civil laws depending on the religion and nationality of the deceased.
The time taken to resolve a family estate dispute in the UAE varies depending on a number of factors, such as the existence of a will, the complexity involved with the estate, the number of heirs, and whether the case is settled amicably or in court.