MUSCAT — Oman has decided to bar expatriate lawyers to attend or plead in all courts of the Sultanate from next year, Times of Oman, an English-language newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing a statement from the country’s Ministry of Justice and Legal Affairs. The move follows the Omani Cabinet decision that set Dec. 31, 2020, as the deadline after which expatriate lawyers registered in various courts, including the Supreme Court of Oman, are not allowed to enter courts or appear in connection with cases. "The ministry calls on law firms, civil law firms, and all concerned authorities in the Sultanate to adhere to this date to enforce the aforementioned provisions and to take all necessary measures to put them into practice," the statement read. “The ministry appreciates the efforts made by the expatriate attorney professors and the contributions and experiences they have made in order to advance the legal profession in the Sultanate and raise the level of its operators, wishing them success and advancement in their career,” the statement added.