Article 11 of the Saudi Arbitration Law
المادة 11 من نظام التحكيم · الباب الثاني: اتفاق التحكيم
The article requires a court seized of a dispute covered by an arbitration agreement to rule the action inadmissible if the defendant raises this before any request or defense, and provides that the action does not stop the arbitration.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يجب على المحكمة التي يرفع إليها نزاع يوجد في شأنه اتفاق تحكيم أن تحكم بعدم جواز نظر الدعوى إذا دفع المدعى عليه بذلك قبل أي طلب أو دفاع في الدعوى.
2 - لا يحول رفع الدعوى المشار إليها في الفقرة السابقة دون البدء في إجراءات التحكيم، أو الاستمرار فيها، أو إصدار حكم 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 11 explained in plain English
This article deals with a common situation: an arbitration agreement exists between two parties, but one of them goes to court instead of arbitrating.
Paragraph (1) - the court's duty: the court must rule the action inadmissible, on two conditions:
- There is an arbitration agreement concerning the dispute brought.
- The defendant raises the existence of this agreement before any request or defense in the action.
The timing here is decisive: a defendant who wants to rely on arbitration must raise it at the start of the action, before making any other request or defense. The article ties the duty to rule the action inadmissible to this plea being made at this time.
Paragraph (2) - arbitration continues: bringing the action before the court does not prevent starting the arbitration proceedings, continuing them, or issuing the arbitral award. One party cannot obstruct the arbitration merely by bringing a court action.
The article comes after Article 10, which requires, for an agreement to arbitrate to be valid, that it come from a person with capacity to dispose. Article 12 deals with a related situation, namely agreeing to arbitration while the dispute is before the competent court, and requires the court to refer the dispute to arbitration.
If an action is brought against you and your contract has an arbitration clause, consult a lawyer specialized in arbitration and commercial cases before submitting any response to the court.
Practical example
An establishment in Riyadh concluded a supply contract containing an arbitration clause, and the supplier then brought an action before the court claiming his dues. In its first response, before any defense, the establishment relied on the arbitration clause. The court must then rule the action inadmissible, and the parties may start or continue the arbitration.
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 11 of the Saudi Arbitration Law
An action has been brought against me despite an arbitration clause. What do I do?
The article provides that the court rules the action inadmissible if the defendant raises the existence of the arbitration agreement before any request or defense in the action.
When must the arbitration clause be relied on before the court?
Before making any request or defense in the action, under paragraph (1).
Does the arbitration stop if the other party brings a court action?
No. Bringing the action does not prevent starting the arbitration proceedings, continuing them or issuing the arbitral award.
More articles on Arbitration Agreement
- Article 1
The article defines three key terms in the Arbitration Law: the arbitration agreement, the arbitral tribunal and the competent court.
تدل العبارات الآتية الواردة في هذا النظام على المعاني الموضحة أمامها، ما لم يقتض السياق خلاف ذلك : 1 - اتفاق التحكيم : هو اتفاق بين طرفين أو أكثر على أن يحيلا إ
- Article 5
The article requires applying the provisions of any document, such as a model contract or international agreement, to which the parties agree to subject their relationship, so long as it does not contravene Islamic Sharia.
إذا اتفق طرفا التحكيم على إخضاع العلاقة بينهما لأحكام أي وثيقة (عقد نموذجي، أو اتفاقية دولية أو غيرهما)، وجب العمل بأحكام هذه الوثيقة بما تشمله من أحكام خاصة با
- Article 9
The article allows an arbitration agreement to precede or follow a dispute, requires it to be in writing or it is void, and sets out the accepted forms of writing.
1- يجوز أن يكون اتفاق التحكيم سابقاً على قيام النزاع سواء أكان مستقلاً بذاته، أم ورد في عقد معين. كما يجوز أن يكون اتفاق التحكيم لاحقاً لقيام النزاع، وإن كانت ق
- Article 10Amended by M/21
The article requires capacity to dispose for a valid arbitration agreement, and allows government bodies to agree to arbitration only with the Prime Minister's approval unless a special statutory provision permits it.
1- لا يصح الاتفاق على التحكيم إلا ممن يكون أهلاً للتصرف سواء أكان شخصاً ذا صفة طبيعية أم شخصاً ذا صفة اعتبارية 2 - لا يجوز للجهات الحكومية الاتفاق على التحكيم إ
- Article 12
The article requires the competent court to refer the dispute to arbitration if the parties agree to arbitrate while it is being heard, subject to paragraph (1) of Article 9.
مع مراعاة ما ورد في الفقرة (1) من المادة (التاسعة) من هذا النظام؛ إذا تم الاتفاق على التحكيم أثناء نظر النزاع أمام المحكمة المختصة، وجب عليها أن تقرر إحالة النز
- Article 20
The article makes the arbitral tribunal decide pleas of its own lack of jurisdiction, sets the time for raising them, and limits appeal of a refusal to an action to annul the award that ends the whole dispute.
1- تفصل هيئة التحكيم في الدفوع المتعلقة بعدم اختصاصها بما في ذلك الدفوع المبنيّة على عدم وجود اتفاق تحكيم، أو سقوطه، أو بطلانه، أو عدم شموله لموضوع النزاع. 2- ي
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.