The Dubai Public Prosecution has activated a new penal order system that will allow minor misdemeanours and offences to be dealt with through fines rather than the court system, Dubai Attorney General Essam Al Humaidan announced on Tuesday.

The new rules will apply to a number of offences, ranging from bounced cheques of up to AED200,000 to insult and defamation cases and non-payment of rents.

According to the decision, the Deira, Bur Dubai, Family and Juvenile, Naturalisation and Residency and Traffic Prosecution entities are authorised to enforce the new penal order.

Al Humaidan said that the order was already been activated two weeks ago in certain cases related to naturalisation and residency matters. The other entities can begin implementing the system as of December 4.

Under the system, fines are payable through ‘smart’ devices installed in prosecution facilities, police stations and various other public cases in Dubai.

The new order comes under the purview of Law No. (1) of 2017, which was approved by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in March.

At the time, Sheikh Mohammed said the changes to the legal procedure were part of a wider effort to “improve the government system in Dubai.”

“We always seek to find ways to enhance the efficiency, quality and speed at which government services are delivered,” he said.

In a statement, Dubai Public Prosecution said that the new penal order “builds on the success” of the one-day misdemeanor court system which was implemented in 70 percent of minor court cases in 2016.

The initiative is aimed to waiting times at Dubai Courts by 60 percent and save the government AED40 million in expenses.