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Practice Area

Debt Recovery & Enforcement in Jordan

Counsel for creditors pursuing unpaid invoices, dishonoured cheques, foreign judgments, and contractual amounts under the Jordanian Execution Law, the Code of Commerce, and the Civil Code.

Practising in Jordan since 2000 CCD Registration No. 497

Lawyer at a desk with calculator and contract documents, debt recovery in Jordan
On this page
  1. What the Practice Covers
  2. Practice Services
  3. The Statutory Framework
  4. Industries Served
  5. Who the Firm Serves
  6. Representative Matters
  7. How the Firm Engages New Debt Recovery Matters
  8. Frequently Asked Questions
  9. About Abdullah & Partners
Practice Overview

What the Practice Covers

Debt collection in Jordan is the recovery of debts before the Jordanian courts and the Execution Department under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007, the Civil Procedure Code No. 24 of 1988, and the Civil Code No. 43 of 1976. The Debt Recovery and Enforcement Team of Abdullah & Partners represents creditors across ten scenarios: unpaid B2B invoices, bounced cheques, commercial papers, bank loans, partnership distributions, employee dues, construction receivables, rent arrears, guarantor claims, and foreign judgment enforcement.

The practice operates within the Foreign Judgments Enforcement Law No. 8 of 1952, the Code of Commerce No. 12 of 1966, and the Bar Association Law No. 11 of 1972. Each lawyer acting on a debt recovery matter is admitted to the Jordanian Bar Association and is registered with the Companies Control Department under No. 497. The firm's wider contentious work sits alongside on the litigation and dispute resolution practice; the dedicated international arbitration practice handles cross-border award recovery.

Service Clusters

Practice Services

Twelve service items, organised into four clusters that match how the debt collection in Jordan team runs each creditor matter.

Cluster 1: Commercial & Documentary Debt

Anchor

Commercial Debts Recovery

Recovery of unpaid B2B invoices, contractual amounts, and trade receivables, both local and cross-border. The firm pursues clean documentary debts via summary order under Article 60 of the Civil Procedure Code No. 24 of 1988 and disputed matters via regular civil claim. Enforcement runs through the Execution Department under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007.

  • Notarised demand letter (indhar adli)
  • Summary order or civil claim filing
  • Execution file and attachment proceedings
Supporting

Commercial Papers Recovery

Enforcement on promissory notes, bills of exchange, and acknowledged debts under the Code of Commerce No. 12 of 1966 and its amendments. The expedited summary-order procedure under Article 60 of the Civil Procedure Code allows clean documentary files to proceed without exchange of pleadings and a hearing fixed within 10 days of filing.

  • Summary order on the commercial paper
  • Precautionary attachment of debtor accounts
  • Execution-stage debt enforcement
Supporting

Bounced Cheque Recovery

Civil enforcement on dishonoured cheques treated as commercial papers under the Code of Commerce No. 12 of 1966 and its amendments. The firm files the summary order combined with precautionary attachment of bank accounts via the Central Bank circulation system. Older cheques and transitional-provision matters are addressed individually based on issuance date, instrument, and documentary record.

  • Summary order on the cheque
  • Central Bank account-attachment circulation
  • Asset-tracing and recovery strategy

Cluster 2: Banking, Guarantor & Foreign Judgments

Anchor

Bank Loan Recovery

Recovery on defaulted bank facilities, secured loans, and credit lines for lenders and finance companies under Central Bank of Jordan supervision. The firm acts on facility-default actions, security enforcement, attachment of corporate assets, garnishment of bank accounts, and sale of secured real estate through the Execution Department under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007.

  • Facility-default and security-enforcement filings
  • Real-estate sale through Execution Department
  • Garnishment and corporate-asset attachment
Supporting

Guarantor Recovery

Enforcement against personal guarantors, sureties, and joint co-signers under the suretyship provisions of the Civil Code No. 43 of 1976. The firm pursues guarantor liability in parallel with primary-debtor recovery and coordinates attachment, salary garnishment under Article 31 of the Execution Law (capped at one-third of earnings), and travel bans under Article 26.

  • Guarantor demand and joinder strategy
  • Salary garnishment and travel-ban applications
  • Joint-and-several enforcement coordination
Supporting

Foreign Judgment Enforcement

Recognition and execution of foreign court judgments and arbitral awards under the Foreign Judgments Enforcement Law No. 8 of 1952 (Article 7 grounds and reciprocity), the 1958 New York Convention for arbitral awards, and the 1983 Riyadh Arab Agreement for Judicial Cooperation. Enforcement then runs through the Execution Department under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007.

  • Exequatur file and reciprocity evidence
  • Certified Arabic translation and legalised PoA
  • Execution against assets in Jordan

Cluster 3: Sector & Contractual Recovery

Anchor

Construction Receivables Recovery

Recovery of contractor and subcontractor claims, retention amounts, variation orders, and supplier receivables on construction projects. The firm acts on payment-certification disputes, FIDIC-based payment terms, and parallel arbitration and court proceedings, with enforcement against project assets through the Execution Department.

  • Payment-certification and retention claims
  • Variation-order and supplier-receivable enforcement
  • Parallel arbitration and court recovery
Supporting

Rent Arrears Recovery

Recovery of unpaid rent for commercial and residential property under the Owners and Tenants Law and the Civil Code No. 43 of 1976. The firm pursues arrears, eviction, and damages claims, with summary-order recovery on documented lease debts and execution against tenant assets at the Execution Department.

  • Lease-arrears summary order filings
  • Eviction and damages claims
  • Tenant-asset execution proceedings
Supporting

Partnership Disputes Recovery

Claims between business partners over unpaid distributions, share buyouts, and end-of-partnership accounting under the Companies Law No. 22 of 1997 and its amendments. The firm pursues distribution arrears, valuation disputes, and accounting reconciliations through court proceedings and parallel corporate and commercial advisory work.

  • Distribution-arrears claims and valuation
  • End-of-partnership accounting
  • Buyout and exit-mechanism enforcement

Cluster 4: Employment Dues & Execution Tools

Anchor

Employee Dues Recovery

Recovery of unpaid wages, end-of-service indemnity, and arbitrary-dismissal compensation under the Labour Law No. 8 of 1996 (as amended). The firm acts before specialist labour-court tribunals, files for precautionary attachment on the employer's assets where dissipation risk is present, and enforces awards through the Execution Department.

  • Wage and end-of-service claims
  • Arbitrary-dismissal compensation filings
  • Employer-asset attachment and execution
Supporting

Precautionary Attachment & Interim Measures

Precautionary attachment (hajz ihtiyati) under Articles 141 to 152 of the Civil Procedure Code No. 24 of 1988, with the 8-day filing rule under Article 152 where attachment is granted pre-filing. The firm secures attachment of bank accounts via the Central Bank circulation system, blocks transfers at the Department of Lands and Survey, and prevents vehicle re-registration to preserve recovery value.

  • Attachment application and surety bond
  • Bank-account and real-estate freezes
  • Article 152 8-day filing compliance
Supporting

Execution Department Proceedings

Full execution toolkit under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007: attachment of property under Article 16, salary garnishment capped at one-third of earnings under Article 31, debtor imprisonment under Article 22 (subject to Article 23 exemptions), travel bans under Article 26, and seizure and sale of movable and immovable property. The firm runs each enforcement file in full against the debtor's asset profile.

  • Attachment, garnishment, and travel-ban filings
  • Article 22/23 imprisonment applications
  • Auction sale of immovable property
Regulatory Context

The Statutory Framework

Debt collection and enforcement in Jordan operates within a network of statutes. The Execution Law No. 25 of 2007 is the central enforcement instrument; ten further laws touch the practice at specific points.

Core Statute

Execution Law

No. 25 of 2007

Central enforcement framework for all debt collection in Jordan, governing the Execution Department.

Procedure

Civil Procedure Code

No. 24 of 1988

Substantive

Civil Code

No. 43 of 1976

Foreign Awards

Foreign Judgments Enforcement Law

No. 8 of 1952

Insolvency

Insolvency Law

No. 21 of 2018

Profession

Bar Association Law

No. 11 of 1972

Corporate

Companies Law

No. 22 of 1997

Commerce

Code of Commerce

No. 12 of 1966

Banking

Banking Law

No. 28 of 2000

Data

Personal Data Protection Law

No. 24 of 2023

Notarisation

Notary Public Law

Demand letters

Statutory framework for debt collection in Jordan: the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007 at the centre, with ten satellite instruments, Civil Procedure Code No. 24 of 1988, Civil Code No. 43 of 1976, Foreign Judgments Enforcement Law No. 8 of 1952, Insolvency Law No. 21 of 2018, Bar Association Law No. 11 of 1972, Companies Law No. 22 of 1997, Code of Commerce No. 12 of 1966, Banking Law No. 28 of 2000, Personal Data Protection Law No. 24 of 2023, and the Notary Public Law.
Sector Coverage

Industries Served

The debt recovery practice acts across the principal sectors of the Jordanian economy.

Banking & Financial Services

Defaulted facilities, secured loans, and credit-line recovery for lenders.

Real Estate & Construction

Retention, variation orders, supplier receivables, and rent arrears.

Trade, Distribution & Logistics

B2B invoices, cross-border trade receivables, freight-forwarder claims.

Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals

Unpaid hospital accounts, supplier invoices, and distributor receivables.

Hospitality & Retail

Lease arrears, supplier defaults, bounced-cheque recovery.

Technology, Media & Telecoms

B2B invoices, subscription defaults, contractual receivables.

Employment & Labour Dues

Wages, end-of-service indemnity, arbitrary-dismissal compensation.

Energy & Utilities

Power-purchase, off-take, and concession-payment recovery.

Client Profile

Who the Firm Serves

The Debt Recovery and Enforcement Team of Abdullah & Partners acts for the following creditor categories in debt collection in Jordan.

  1. Jordanian and regional banks and finance companies in defaulted-facility recovery, security enforcement, garnishment, and execution-stage realisation under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007.

  2. Corporate trade creditors pursuing unpaid B2B invoices, cross-border receivables, and supplier dues via summary order under Article 60 of the Civil Procedure Code No. 24 of 1988.

  3. Holders of bounced cheques, promissory notes, bills of exchange, and acknowledged debts seeking summary-order enforcement under the Code of Commerce No. 12 of 1966 with precautionary attachment of debtor accounts.

  4. Foreign judgment and arbitral-award creditors pursuing exequatur in Jordan under the Foreign Judgments Enforcement Law No. 8 of 1952 and the 1958 New York Convention, with execution-stage realisation against Jordanian assets.

  5. Contractors, developers, and suppliers in construction-receivable recovery, retention claims, variation-order disputes, and supplier-invoice enforcement on infrastructure and real-estate projects.

  6. Commercial and residential landlords in rent-arrears recovery, eviction, and damages claims under the Owners and Tenants Law and the Civil Code No. 43 of 1976.

  7. Business partners and shareholders in partnership-distribution recovery, share-buyout enforcement, and end-of-partnership accounting reconciliations.

  8. Employees pursuing unpaid wages, end-of-service indemnity, and arbitrary-dismissal compensation under the Labour Law No. 8 of 1996, with employer-asset attachment where dissipation risk is present.

Recent Work

Representative Matters

A selection of recent representative matters in the firm's debt recovery practice. Specific client names, debt values, and matter details are kept confidential under Jordanian Bar Association rules and the firm's standing confidentiality undertakings.

Cross-border commercial debt, trade receivables

Acted for a regional manufacturer in the recovery of cross-border trade receivables from a Jordanian distributor. The firm filed a summary order under Article 60 of the Civil Procedure Code, secured precautionary attachment of the distributor's bank accounts, and recovered the full principal through the Execution Department.

Bank-loan facility recovery, secured real estate

Acted for a Jordanian bank in the enforcement of a defaulted corporate facility secured by real estate. The matter required attachment of corporate assets, garnishment of operating accounts, and auction sale of the secured property at the Execution Department under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007.

Foreign judgment enforcement, exequatur

Acted in proceedings for the recognition and enforcement (exequatur) of a foreign commercial judgment before the Court of First Instance under Article 7 of the Foreign Judgments Enforcement Law No. 8 of 1952. The firm prepared the certified Arabic translation, legalised power of attorney, and reciprocity evidentiary file, and pursued execution against the debtor's Jordanian assets.

Bounced cheque portfolio, summary orders

Acted for a corporate client in the civil recovery of a portfolio of dishonoured cheques treated as commercial papers under the Code of Commerce No. 12 of 1966. Each cheque was pursued via summary order combined with precautionary attachment of the drawer's bank accounts through the Central Bank circulation system.

Construction receivables, retention and variations

Represented a subcontractor in the recovery of retention amounts and unpaid variation orders on an infrastructure project. The matter combined contract analysis, expert quantum evidence, and parallel arbitration and court proceedings, with enforcement of the final award against project assets.

Guarantor enforcement, joint-and-several recovery

Acted for a finance company in the parallel enforcement against the primary debtor and three personal guarantors under suretyship provisions of the Civil Code No. 43 of 1976. The firm coordinated salary garnishment under Article 31 of the Execution Law and travel bans under Article 26 to drive settlement.

Partnership-distribution recovery, end-of-partnership

Acted for an exiting partner in the recovery of unpaid distributions and the buyout of the partner's share interest. The matter required accounting reconciliation, valuation expert work, and a negotiated settlement combined with court-enforced security on the firm's principal asset.

Employee dues recovery, end-of-service indemnity

Acted for a group of employees in the recovery of unpaid wages, end-of-service indemnity, and arbitrary-dismissal compensation under the Labour Law No. 8 of 1996. The firm secured precautionary attachment of the employer's operating accounts pending judgment and recovered the principal through execution.

Working With the Firm

How the Firm Engages New Debt Recovery Matters

New debt recovery matters move through four stages from initial enquiry to enforcement at the Execution Department.

  1. Initial enquiry, conflict check, and documentary review

    Initial enquiries are answered within six working hours during the firm's working week. The firm runs a conflict check and reviews the underlying documents to confirm the debt is established, defined in amount, and currently due, the Article 6 threshold under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007 for an executive document.

  2. Notarised demand and engagement letter

    The firm sends a notarised demand letter (indhar adli) which creates formal evidence of default, and issues a written engagement letter setting out the agreed scope, fees, and expected timeline. The notification may be relevant to limitation and interest analysis depending on the nature of the claim.

  3. Court action and precautionary attachment

    Where the matter is not settled, the firm files the appropriate proceeding: a summary order (amr al-ada) under Article 60 of the Civil Procedure Code for clean documentary debts, or a regular civil claim for disputed matters, with precautionary attachment under Articles 141 to 152 where asset dissipation is a risk.

  4. Execution at the Execution Department

    With a final judgment or executory order in hand, the firm opens an execution file at the Execution Department. The enforcement toolbox under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007 includes attachment of bank accounts and movable assets, attachment and auction of immovable property, salary garnishment capped at one-third of earnings under Article 31, travel ban under Article 26, and imprisonment for debt under Articles 22 and 23 in limited statutory categories.

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the questions clients and foreign counsel most often ask about debt collection in Jordan. The firm-level FAQ on the Practice Areas Hub answers questions about the firm as a whole.

How does debt collection work in Jordan?

Debt collection in Jordan proceeds in three stages. First, a notarised demand letter (indhar adli) is served on the debtor, which creates formal evidence of default. Second, where the debt is not settled, a court action is filed: a summary order (amr al-ada) for documentary debts under Article 60 of the Civil Procedure Code No. 24 of 1988, or a regular civil claim for disputed matters. Third, with a judgment in hand, execution proceeds at the Execution Department under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007 and its amendments, with attachment, garnishment, and sale of property.

What is the time limit (limitation period) to collect a debt in Jordan?

Limitation periods vary by claim type. The general civil limitation is fifteen years under Article 449 of the Civil Code No. 43 of 1976. Shorter periods apply to merchant claims, professional fees, and specific commercial categories under the Code of Commerce No. 12 of 1966 and its amendments. A notarised demand letter creates formal evidence of default and may be relevant to limitation analysis depending on the specific nature of the claim, which is one reason the firm sends one at the first sign of non-payment.

Can a foreign creditor enforce a judgment in Jordan?

Yes. The Foreign Judgments Enforcement Law No. 8 of 1952 governs recognition and execution of foreign court judgments in Jordan. Article 7 sets the conditions: the foreign judgment must be final and conclusive, issued by a court of competent jurisdiction by Jordanian standards, the defendant must have been properly served, the judgment must not violate Jordanian public policy, and reciprocity must exist. For arbitral awards, the 1958 New York Convention applies and recognition is typically faster. The Execution Department under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007 then enforces the recognised judgment against assets in Jordan.

Can a debtor be imprisoned for not paying a debt in Jordan?

Imprisonment for debt is available only under specific statutory conditions and is no longer a remedy for ordinary commercial debts of low amounts. Under Article 22 of the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007 and its amendments, imprisonment cannot exceed sixty days per single debt and one hundred and twenty days per year regardless of how many creditors pursue. Article 23 lists exempt categories, including debts under five thousand dinars, government employees, minors, mothers of children under 2 years, debts secured by physical security, and intra-family debts other than court-ordered alimony.

How are bounced cheques recovered in Jordan?

Bounced cheques in Jordan are treated as commercial papers and recovered through civil enforcement under the Code of Commerce No. 12 of 1966 and its amendments. The standard route is a summary order (amr al-ada) on the cheque combined with precautionary attachment of the debtor's bank accounts through the Central Bank circulation system, which may support faster recovery in clean documentary files. Older cheques and transitional-provision matters are addressed individually based on issuance date, instrument, and documentary record.

What is precautionary attachment and how does it help creditors?

Precautionary attachment (hajz ihtiyati) is a pre-judgment court order that freezes a debtor's assets to preserve them pending judgment. Articles 141 to 152 of the Civil Procedure Code No. 24 of 1988 provide the regime. It freezes bank accounts via the Central Bank circulation system, blocks the transfer of registered real estate at the Department of Lands and Survey, and prevents the re-registration of vehicles. The application requires a prima-facie showing of the debt and a risk of dissipation, and is typically secured by a bond. Article 152's 8-day rule applies: if attachment is issued before the substantive case is filed, the case must be filed within 8 days or the order lapses.

What does debt recovery cost in Jordan?

Costs vary by matter. Court fees are calculated as a percentage of the claimed amount under the prevailing Court Fees regime, with execution fees calculated on the amount enforced at the Execution Department. Legal fees are agreed in writing depending on the file, the documents, the expected procedural steps, and the enforcement stage. Clear documentary cases may be handled on fixed-stage terms, while contested matters may require hourly or staged billing. The firm does not act on a contingency basis, in line with Jordanian Bar Association standards. To estimate a specific matter, contact the firm with the underlying documents.

How long does debt recovery take through Jordanian courts?

A clean documentary debt resolved by summary order under Article 60 of the Civil Procedure Code and then executed at the Execution Department under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007 typically completes within three to six months. A contested commercial claim through the Court of First Instance, with appeals, typically runs twelve to twenty-four months to final judgment, with execution adding a further three to six months depending on the asset profile. Where precautionary attachment is granted early under Articles 141 to 152 of the Civil Procedure Code, settlement frequently follows within weeks because the debtor's leverage shifts.

If a question above does not address the matter at hand, contact the firm directly through the central intake. The firm responds to new enquiries within six working hours.

About the Firm

About Abdullah & Partners

Abdullah & Partners is a law firm based in Amman, Jordan, practising since 2000. The firm is registered with the Companies Control Department under No. 497, and every lawyer practising at the firm is admitted to the Jordanian Bar Association under the Bar Association Law No. 11 of 1972 and its amendments. Each lawyer takes the oath under Article 23 of that Law to perform his duties with “honesty and honour”, and Article 54 directs every lawyer to uphold the principles of “honour, uprightness, and integrity”.

The firm's debt recovery practice covers commercial debts, bank loans, foreign judgments, bounced cheques, commercial papers, partnership disputes, employee dues, construction receivables, rent arrears, and guarantor enforcement under the Execution Law No. 25 of 2007, the Civil Procedure Code No. 24 of 1988, the Civil Code No. 43 of 1976, the Code of Commerce No. 12 of 1966, and the Foreign Judgments Enforcement Law No. 8 of 1952. More on the firm and its history is on the About page; the firm's dedicated litigation and dispute resolution practice sits alongside.

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Explore More

Three practice areas that frequently sit alongside the firm's debt collection in Jordan work.

Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Commercial, banking, construction, and employment litigation before the Court of First Instance, the Court of Appeal, and the Court of Cassation.

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Banking & Finance

Banking law, finance facilities, security enforcement, and regulatory matters under Central Bank of Jordan supervision and the Banking Law No. 28 of 2000.

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Corporate & Commercial

Contracts, transactions, and corporate-governance counsel that sits alongside the firm's creditor-side recovery work.

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Maintained by the Debt Recovery and Enforcement Team of Abdullah & Partners, admitted to the Jordanian Bar Association under the Jordanian Bar Association Law No. 11 of 1972. Last reviewed: May 2026. Next scheduled review: November 2026.

This content is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. The information reflects the position of Jordanian law as of the last-reviewed date above. Laws, regulations, and judicial interpretations may change. Readers should consult a qualified Jordanian lawyer regarding their specific circumstances. For matter-specific guidance on debt collection in Jordan or debt recovery in Jordan, contact the firm directly. Practising under the Bar Association Law No. 11 of 1972 and registered with the Companies Control Department under registration number 497.

Abdullah & Partners

Abdullah & Partners is a law firm in Jordan, based in Amman, providing legal services in accordance with the laws of Jordan, the Jordanian Bar Association Law, and international conventions in force.

Established in Amman · Member of the Jordanian Bar Association

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