A commercial case no longer starts at the court registry counter. Before the Court of Investment and Commerce, claims, appeals, challenges and applications are filed online through the Court platform, and the whole file is followed there, from registration and exchange of pleadings to receiving the judgment and its enforcement formula. This article explains how to file a case on the platform, as set out in the Unified Guide issued by the Supreme Judicial Council, the mistakes that lead to rejection, and what happens after you submit.
What the platform offers
- Registering first-instance claims, appeals and challenges before the Commercial Circuit of the Supreme Court.
- Filing applications, objections and requests to stay enforcement.
- Uploading statements of claim, memoranda and documents.
- Viewing hearing dates and decisions.
- Receiving judgments and enforcement formulas electronically.
- Registering enforcement applications and following related steps.
The platform address given in the guide is portal.sjc.gov.om/invest/login.
Before you start: prepare the statement of claim
The claim is filed by a statement uploaded to the electronic system, which must contain:
- The claimant's full name, tribe or family name, occupation and address, and the name and capacity of any representative.
- The defendant's full name, tribe or family name, occupation and address, or last known address.
- The filing date.
- The court before which the claim is brought.
- The facts, the claimant's requests and their grounds.
- The signature of the claimant or their representative.
Step-by-step filing on the platform
- Log in in one of three ways: phone number, ID or residence card reader, or civil number with the card's expiry date.
- Choose your capacity: in person, lawyer, company manager or legal officer.
- Choose the service: Case Services, then Register a Case, then the level (first instance, appeal or Supreme Court).
- Accept the terms and conditions.
- Select the circuit, the case type and the main claim.
- Enter every claim in the statement, valued and unvalued, each one separately using "Add Request".
- Write a summary of the case without quoting legal provisions or general principles.
- Add the parties: claimants, then defendants; individuals by civil or passport number, government bodies by selecting them, and companies by commercial registration number. The platform pulls personal data from the Civil Status records and company data from the Ministry of Commerce automatically.
- Upload documents: the statement of claim and supporting documents, with Arabic translations of any foreign documents.
- Review and submit to the case preparation office, going back to complete anything missing before you send.
Documents by type of claim
- Cheques, bills of exchange and promissory notes: commercial registration, the instrument itself and any other documents.
- Loan or finance agreements: commercial registration of the company and bank, the loan or finance agreement and the account statement.
- Construction: commercial registration, the construction contract and proof of the claim.
- Insurance: the insurance contract and proof of the claim.
- Investment claims: the commercial registration of one of the companies showing it is subject to foreign investment, and proof of the claim.
- Arbitration: the arbitration agreement or clause to appoint an arbitrator; the award for an annulment action.
- Enforcement disputes: linking the enforcement file to the dispute with supporting documents.
- Appeals: linking the first-instance file and attaching the first-instance judgment.
What happens after you submit
- A text message with the request number; check the request within minutes to follow any comments or approve fee payment.
- Review by the case preparation office, whose team works around the clock, seven days a week.
- Comments and missing items are returned to you; if you disagree with the examiner, the judge of the preparation office decides.
- Fee payment: once approved, you pay the court fee online, the filing becomes a case and you receive the case number.
- Notifying the defendant within three working days at most, followed by the exchange of pleadings; see how long a commercial case takes.
Mistakes that lead to rejection
- Platform data that does not match the statement of claim.
- Not entering every claim in the statement, so the filing is treated as void and must be refiled.
- Not completing missing items within ten days of notice, so the filing is treated as void.
- Foreign documents without Arabic translation.
- Choosing the wrong circuit or case type, for example filing a claim above OMR 100,000 before a single-judge circuit.
Must a lawyer file the case?
If your company claims more than OMR 10,000, or you are an individual claiming more than OMR 30,000, the guide requires the claim to be filed through a lawyer. See when you need a lawyer at the Court.
Frequently asked questions
How do I log in to the Court of Investment and Commerce platform?
By phone number, ID or residence card reader, or civil number with the card's expiry date.
Can I sue a foreign company with no Omani commercial registration?
Yes. A request can be made to the Court to register the case through it or to allow registration through the electronic method in use; the same applies where a party has no civil number.
When is my case officially registered?
Once review is complete and the fee is paid on the platform; the filing then becomes a case and you receive its number.
Source: the Unified Guide to Litigation Procedures before the Court of Investment and Commerce, issued by the Supreme Judicial Council. Steps are as stated in the guide at the date of publication; the platform interface may change.
If you would like us to file and run your case through to judgment, see our commercial litigation lawyer service or contact Dr. Abdullah Al Rashdi Office on WhatsApp or +968 92000841.