Doctrinal Absence and Judicial Pragmatism: The Anticipatory Breach Problem in UAE Law
Authors
College of Law, United Arab Emirates University (UAE)
Article Information
Publication Timeline
Submitted: 2025-11-14
Accepted: 2025-11-24
Published: 2025-12-19
Abstract
In general, the doctrine of anticipatory breach of contract addresses circumstances arising in the interim period between contract formation and the agreed time for performance that materially increase the risk that the promised performance will not be forthcoming when due. In short, the doctrine of anticipatory breach provides a party anticipating a future breach with immediate legal relief, without having to wait for an actual breach to materialise. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), an emerging civil law jurisdiction, does not expressly incorporate a doctrine equivalent to anticipatory breach into its statutory framework. The central inquiry of this article is whether the current UAE regime provides solutions that are functionally comparable to the doctrine of anticipatory breach. After a brief overview of the legal principles relating to anticipatory breach and the legal landscape in the UAE, this article proceeds to analyse a sample of construction-related disputes in which certain UAE courts appeared to permit forms of relief that resemble the outcomes typically associated with anticipatory breach. The article examines the legal implications of those cases.
Keywords
Law
Downloads
References
No references available.
Metrics
Views & Downloads
Similar Articles
- Conflict of Law in the Safeguarding of Malaysian Intangible Cultural Heritage: A Way Forward
- Alternative Dispute Resolution in India: A Brief Overview Justice Delayed is Justice Denied. - William E. Gladstone
- The Role of Museums in Safeguarding Cultural Heritage Rights: Balancing Access and Repatriation
- An Evaluation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights' Significance and Application in Nigeria
- The Role of International Law in Shaping National Immigration Policies.