Kuwait Cabinet Approves Judicial, Economic Court, and Nationality Law Reforms

Kuwait's Cabinet has advanced significant legal reforms, approving draft decree-laws to overhaul the judiciary and establish specialized economic courts. The proposed legislation seeks to modernize judicial processes, including judge appointments and disciplinary procedures, while strengthening the Supreme Judicial Council's authority. A key aim is to unify legal principles across the Court of Cassation to ensure consistent rulings and legal stability. The reforms also embrace technological advancements by including provisions for electronic trials and judicial procedures.

The establishment of economic courts is intended to expedite the resolution of financial disputes while upholding defendants' rights and due process. This new system will feature specialized judges, experts, and a dedicated execution judge. Litigation will be streamlined with shorter deadlines, quicker case preparation, and the adoption of electronic notification, document exchange, and remote litigation.

In parallel, amendments to the Kuwaiti Nationality Law were approved. Under the new provisions, individuals granted Kuwaiti citizenship through naturalization will be barred from voting, running for office, or serving in any parliamentary capacity. The law also introduces electronic nationality certificates, which will hold the same legal validity as their paper counterparts. Furthermore, measures are being implemented to address cases where individuals intentionally add non-descendants to nationality files, potentially leading to the revocation of citizenship for children or descendants if they were aware of the fraudulent act.