Kuwait recorded a 20 percent decline in Court Cases during the first nine months of 2026, Justice Minister Nasser Al-Sumait announced on Sunday. The figures show a substantial reduction compared with the corresponding period in 2024. Al-Sumait attributed the improvement to legislative reforms introduced under the country’s plan to modernise its legal system.
The total number of cases across Kuwait’s courts reached approximately 665,000 between January and September 2026. During the same period in 2024, courts handled around 835,000 cases. This represents a decrease of approximately 170,000 cases over the two-year comparison.
Al-Sumait presented the figures during a press conference announcing the final results of the Al-Gharimeen campaign. The initiative focuses on supporting people facing financial difficulties and outstanding debts. During the event, the minister also discussed the effects of recently introduced legislation.
He connected the declining caseload with laws adopted through the national legislative modernisation plan. According to the minister, these reforms have contributed to reducing the number of cases reaching different levels of the judiciary. However, he did not provide a detailed breakdown explaining each law’s individual impact.
The Court of Cassation recorded one of the largest declines among the reported categories. Its caseload decreased by 39 percent, falling from approximately 16,000 cases in 2024. By comparison, the court handled around 10,000 cases during the first nine months of 2026.
Appeals involving misdemeanour cases also experienced a significant reduction. Their number dropped by 41 percent, moving from approximately 5,700 cases to 3,300. This decline represented another notable change in the figures presented by the justice minister.
Criminal cases across all courts followed a similar downward trend. Their total fell by 21 percent, representing approximately 117,000 fewer cases than during the comparison period. The figures declined from around 566,000 cases in 2024 to approximately 449,000 this year.
Payment orders recorded an even sharper reduction during the same period. Courts processed approximately 27,000 payment orders in 2026, compared with around 67,000 in 2024. That represents a decrease of approximately 60 percent, according to the minister’s figures.
These statistics cover several different categories of judicial proceedings. Therefore, they offer a broader picture of changes across Kuwait’s court system. Nevertheless, the figures alone do not explain whether fewer disputes arose, more cases settled earlier, or procedural changes reduced court filings.
The comparison also uses 2024 as its reference year rather than the previous year. Consequently, it highlights developments over a two-year period and does not establish the precise annual pattern. Further information would help clarify how individual reforms influenced the reported reductions.
Al-Sumait’s announcement places legislative reform at the centre of the government’s efforts to modernise the justice system. The reported figures show fewer cases across several important judicial categories. Kuwait’s Court Cases statistics will remain an important measure as authorities assess the effects of legal changes.
