The Abu Dhabi Family, Civil and Administrative Claims Court dismissed a father’s lawsuit against his daughter seeking to have a vehicle’s ownership transferred into her name or the vehicle returned. The ruling came after the daughter took a “decisive oath”, stating that she had not received the vehicle from her father and did not possess it.

The father alleged that he had given the vehicle to his daughter for her personal use, but that she had refused to transfer ownership into her name and pay AED 500 in traffic fines.

According to court documents, the father filed a lawsuit asking the court to order his daughter to complete all legal procedures with the Traffic and Licensing Department to transfer ownership of the vehicle into her name.

He also asked the court to order her to return and hand over the vehicle if she refused to transfer ownership.

The claimant valued the vehicle at AED 10,000 and said the traffic fines registered against it totalled AED 500.

He also reserved the right to seek future compensation for all traffic fines, costs and financial penalties arising from his daughter’s use of the vehicle from the date she was served with the lawsuit.

The father further asked that his daughter be ordered to pay court costs and legal fees, and requested an immediately enforceable judgment.

Explaining his claim, he said he had given the vehicle to his daughter to help her and for her personal use, but that she had refused to transfer ownership despite repeated requests.

The father alleged that his daughter had committed several traffic offences while driving the vehicle and had also refused to pay the resulting fines.

Daughter’s Defence in Court

During the proceedings, the daughter denied her father’s claim that she possessed the vehicle and said she had had no contact with him since 2023.

She also said her father had stopped paying her maintenance that same year.

As the proceedings continued, the father asked the court to require his daughter to take a “decisive oath” before issuing its ruling.

The daughter then swore in court that she had not received the disputed vehicle from her father and did not possess it.

Role of the Decisive Oath in the Court’s Ruling

In explaining the legal basis for its ruling, the court said either party to a lawsuit may ask the other party to take a decisive oath if they lack sufficient documents and evidence to prove their claim.

The court stressed that a decisive oath is not direct evidence proving a claim, but rather a legal mechanism for resolving a dispute when sufficient evidence is unavailable. Resorting to it may carry legal risks for the party making the request.

The court explained that when the requested party takes the decisive oath in accordance with legal procedures, the dispute is settled in relation to the matters covered by the oath.

After reviewing the case, the court said the father had sought to have the vehicle’s ownership transferred into his daughter’s name or to have it returned after the traffic fines were settled. However, the case file contained no evidence supporting his claim.

The claimant therefore resorted to the decisive oath, and the court granted his request.

After the court approved the request, the daughter took the decisive oath in accordance with legal procedures, stating that she had not received the vehicle from her father and did not possess it.

The court ultimately dismissed the father’s lawsuit based on the legal effect of the decisive oath and ordered him to pay the court costs.