Monday 21 / September / 2026
Muscat: The Supreme Judicial Council and the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion have prepared a unified guidance manual for litigation procedures before the Investment and Trade Court, providing litigants, investors, business owners and legal professionals with a practical reference on judicial procedures and requirements.
The guide brings together judicial and procedural information with requirements related to the business and investment environment, outlining the court’s jurisdiction, levels of litigation, procedures for registering lawsuits and appeals, and the documents required at different stages.
It is intended to improve clarity and access to judicial information, facilitate litigation procedures and enhance the experience of beneficiaries of specialised commercial and investment justice services.
Judge Abdullah bin Khalfan Al-Rawahi, Assistant Secretary-General for Implementation Affairs at the Supreme Judicial Council, said the Council places considerable importance on developing guidance manuals for judicial services and litigation and enforcement procedures.
He said such manuals help clarify procedures, raise operational efficiency and improve the experience of those dealing with the judicial system.
Al-Rawahi added that the preparation of the guide forms part of efforts to consolidate the Investment and Trade Court’s experience and develop its practices in handling commercial and investment disputes. The guide provides simplified information on the stages of litigation and their requirements, helping beneficiaries and legal professionals complete procedures more clearly and accurately.
He noted that the guide also contributes to standardising the understanding of procedures, reducing variations in their application and enhancing transparency and access to judicial services.
The Investment and Trade Court seeks to provide a stable legal environment that supports investment, strengthens the competitiveness of the Omani economy and responds to legal developments in areas including e-commerce, intellectual property, competition and product protection.
Nasra bint Sultan Al Habsi, Director General of Trade at the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, said cooperation with the Supreme Judicial Council in preparing the guide supports efforts to create a business environment characterised by clarity and ease of procedures.
She said the guide raises awareness among companies and investors of commercial and investment litigation procedures by bringing together litigation paths, jurisdictions, requirements, documents and relevant timeframes in a single reference.
Al Habsi added that greater awareness of judicial procedures and filing requirements can help companies and investors avoid procedural errors that could delay cases, while the cooperation between the two institutions reflects the importance of integration between the judicial system and entities responsible for the business environment.
Electronic integration between the Investment and Trade Court platform and relevant government entities further supports the streamlining of procedures. The system enables electronic retrieval of company data from the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion, as well as information concerning parties from relevant government systems.
The platform can also electronically retrieve data on individuals from the Civil Status Department of the Royal Oman Police, company information, agent data, appeals and enforcement files.
The guide provides a detailed explanation of the electronic process for filing a lawsuit, beginning with accessing the platform and selecting the judicial circuit, type of lawsuit and principal claim, followed by entering information on the parties, uploading documents, reviewing the application and submitting it to the Case Preparation Office.
Electronic services include registration of initial lawsuits, appeals and challenges before the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court, as well as requests, grievances and applications to suspend execution. Users can also deposit pleadings, memoranda and documents, receive judgments and enforcement formulas electronically, view hearing dates and decisions, and register and follow up on enforcement requests.
The Case Preparation Office undertakes procedural and preparatory tasks relating to lawsuits and appeals. A specialised team works around the clock, seven days a week, to examine cases, verify party details and documents, collect fees, complete procedural requirements and notify the parties before electronically referring case files to the competent court or department.
Under Royal Decree No. 35/2025, litigation before the Investment and Trade Court is conducted through three levels: primary circuits, appellate circuits and the Commercial Circuit of the Supreme Court.
A single-judge circuit handles cases valued at up to OMR100,000, urgent matters within the court’s jurisdiction and related petitions. A three-judge circuit handles cases of undetermined value, cases exceeding OMR100,000 and other matters assigned to it by law.
The court’s jurisdiction covers disputes involving merchants arising from their commercial activities, disputes arising from investment contracts, disputes between partners, liquidation and bankruptcy claims, and disputes involving banking, contracting, transport and supply contracts, trademarks, brokerage, patents, industrial intellectual property and unfair competition, among other matters assigned to the court by law.
The guide also identifies documents required for different categories of cases, including investment and company disputes, cheques and bills of exchange, unfair competition, commercial sales, bankruptcy, transportation, brokerage, insurance, supply, intellectual property, commercial agencies, loans and financing, commercial mortgages, arbitration, tax disputes, commercial guarantees, contracting, enforcement disputes, appeals and challenges.
It sets out key procedural deadlines, including notification of defendants within a maximum of three working days after completion of registration procedures, as well as deadlines for responses and comments before referral of cases to the court.
The guide states that 15 days are allocated for setting a hearing from the date of referral of a case, while 10 days are prescribed for issuing a preliminary ruling. A judgment is to be issued within 90 days when a hearing is set, with a possible additional 45 days where the court considers there are appropriate reasons.
An expert is generally given 60 days to submit a report, with an additional 15 days possible upon request and for serious reasons.
The appeal period is 15 days, reduced to seven days for judgments issued in urgent matters and appeals against orders on petitions. Appeals against judgments of appellate chambers before the Commercial Circuit of the Supreme Court have a 30-day deadline.
The guide forms part of the Supreme Judicial Council’s broader efforts to develop judicial services, improve procedural efficiency and enhance transparency, while strengthening cooperation with the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion to support an integrated commercial and investment environment in Oman.
