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Saturday, February 21, 2026
 
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Partial commercial cases lead non-criminal filings

Misdemeanors dominate criminal caseloads in Kuwait

publish time

21/02/2026

publish time

21/02/2026

Partial commercial cases lead non-criminal filings

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 21: The Statistics and Research Department at the Ministry of Justice revealed that the number of non-criminal cases received in December 2025 totaled 10,170. Partial commercial cases topped the list at 23.2 percent, while sales cases ranked the lowest at 0.6 percent. No urgent proof of cases were recorded at the Experts Department or in bankruptcy cases during the same month. Statistical analysis of cases in the Court of First Instance in December 2025 showed that the total number of non-criminal cases reviewed reached 48,697.

Partial commercial cases had the largest share at 25.0 percent, compared to only 0.02 percent for bankruptcy cases. The analysis, which highlighted indicators related to case registration, adjudication and completion rates for non-criminal and criminal cases, as well as the performance of the electronic notification department, showed that the number of resolved cases reached 20,771. The highest proportion of resolved cases was recorded for partial commercial cases at 26.5 percent, while bankruptcy cases registered the lowest percentage at 0.02 percent. The overall completion rate for non-criminal cases reached 42.7 percent, with fee exemption cases achieving the highest completion rate at 100 percent, while sales cases recorded the lowest at 24 percent. Regarding the distribution of non-criminal cases by court, the Capital Court accounted for the largest share at 50.7 percent, followed by Farwaniya (15.9 percent), Ahmadi (14.6 percent), Hawally (12.7 percent), Jahra (5.8 percent), and finally the Capital Markets Court (0.3 percent).

In terms of pending cases, the Capital Governorate ranked first with 62.6 percent, followed by Farwaniya (11.4 percent), Hawally and Ahmadi at 10.7 percent each, Jahra (4.3 percent), and the Financial Markets Court (0.3 percent). As for resolved cases, the Capital Governorate again led with 61.7 percent, followed by Ahmadi (11.7 percent), Farwaniya (10.9 percent), Hawally (10.6 percent), Jahra (5.0 percent), and the Financial Markets Court (0.2 percent). Jahra Court recorded the highest completion rate at 49.6 percent, followed by Ahmadi (46.8 percent), then the Capital Governorate and Hawally at 42 percent each, and Farwaniya (40.8 percent), while the Financial Markets Court posted the lowest completion rate at 21.2 percent. Regarding criminal cases, a total of 20,511 cases were received.

Misdemeanor cases got the largest share at 71.4 percent, followed by appealed misdemeanors at 26.2 percent and felonies at 2.3 percent. A total of 55,929 pending criminal cases were recorded, with misdemeanors again accounting for the largest portion at 81.9 percent, followed by appealed misdemeanors (15.6 percent) and felonies (2.5 percent). As for adjudicated criminal cases, 26,314 were resolved. Misdemeanors topped the list at 77.5 percent, followed by appealed misdemeanors (19.9 percent) and felonies (2.6 percent). The overall completion rate for criminal cases reached 47.0 percent, with appealed misdemeanor cases achieving the highest completion rate at 60.0 percent, followed by felonies (48.3 percent) and misdemeanors (44.5 percent). Regarding electronic notices at the Court of First Instance’s Notice Department, a total of 30,907 notices were received and 26,197 of which were processed, a completion rate of 84.8 percent. The Capital Governorate Court recorded the highest completion rate at 96.6 percent, followed by Jahra (91.0 percent), Farwaniya (81.1 percent), Ahmadi (72.0 percent) and Hawally (60.1 percent).

By Jaber Al-Hamoud Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff