Article 4 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Arbitration Law
المادة 4 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام التحكيم
The article requires a party asking the competent court to appoint an arbitrator to attach a copy of the request for arbitration and a copy of the arbitration agreement.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على الطرف الذي يطلب من المحكمة المختصة تعيين محكم أن يرفق بطلبه صورة من طلب التحكيم، وصورة من اتفاق التحكيم.
This is the official Arabic wording, the only legally binding version. We do not translate the law itself; the explanation below is ours. Official source: Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers
Article 4 explained in plain English
A party to arbitration may need to ask the competent court to appoint an arbitrator. This article of the Regulations does not state when this request may be filed; it specifies what must be attached to it.
The party filing the request must attach two documents:
- a copy of the request for arbitration;
- a copy of the arbitration agreement.
These two attachments let the court see the arbitration agreement on which the request is based, and the request for arbitration filed in the dispute, when considering the request for appointment.
"The competent court" means what Article 2 of the Regulations specifies: the court of appeal originally competent to hear the dispute, except the cases in paragraph (1) of Article 9, in Article 12, and at the end of paragraph (3) of Article 40 of the Arbitration Law.
This provision is linked to Article 5 of the Regulations, which deals with an arbitrator stepping down when his recusal is requested and bars accepting a recusal request after the close of pleadings. Notice and the calculation of periods at this stage are governed by Article 3, which makes notice effective by electronic means subject to the provisions of the Law.
The article does not state the effect of not attaching the two documents, so you should make sure the request is complete before filing it, and consult a lawyer who specializes in arbitration and commercial cases when preparing it.
Practical example
A supply company in Dammam agreed with its customer to arbitrate, and the company then needed to ask the competent court to appoint an arbitrator. It attached to its request a copy of the request for arbitration it had filed in the dispute, and a copy of the arbitration clause in the contract between them.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
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Frequently asked questions about Article 4 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Arbitration Law
What documents are required to ask the court to appoint an arbitrator?
The applicant attaches a copy of the request for arbitration and a copy of the arbitration agreement, under Article 4 of the Regulations.
Which court is the request to appoint an arbitrator filed with?
With the competent court, which under Article 2 of the Regulations is the court of appeal originally competent to hear the dispute, except the cases excluded in the Law.
More articles on Appointing and Challenging the Arbitrator
- Article 5
The article allows an arbitrator to step down when his recusal is requested without giving reasons and without this being an admission, and bars accepting a recusal request after the close of pleadings.
1- للمحكم التنحي عن نظر النزاع إذا طُلب رده، دون أن يبدي أسباب تنحيه، ولا يعد هذا إقراراً منه بصحة الأسباب التي استند إليها طالب الرد. 2- لا يقبل طلب رد المحكم
- Article 6
The article suspends arbitration proceedings when an arbitrator's mission ends in the cases in Article 19 of the Law, except by recusal, until a substitute arbitrator is appointed.
إذا انتهت مهمة المحكم في الحالات الواردة في المادة (التاسعة عشرة) من النظام عدا حالة انتهاء مهمة المحكم برده، فتوقف إجراءات التحكيم إلى أن يُعيَّن محكم بديل وفق
- Article 10
If the tribunal is to have a sole arbitrator and the parties do not agree on him, the competent court selects him at the request of whoever wants speedy action, within fifteen days of the request.
إذا كانت هيئة التحكيم مُشكلة من محكم واحدٍ ولم يتفق طرفا التحكيم على اختياره، توّلت المحكمةُ المُختصة اختياره بناءً على طلب من يهمه التعجيل، وذلك خلال خمسة عشر
The texts are reproduced from the official website of the Bureau of Experts at the Council of Ministers for reference; where they differ, the officially published Arabic text prevails. This content is not legal advice.