Article 12 of the Saudi Board of Grievances Law
المادة 12 من نظام ديوان المظالم · الفصل الثالث: اختصاصات المحاكم
The article provides that the administrative appeal courts hear appealable judgments issued by the administrative courts, and rule after hearing the statements of the parties.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تتولى محاكم الاستئناف الإدارية النظر في الأحكام القابلة للاستئناف الصادرة من المحاكم الإدارية، وتحكم بعد سماع أقوال الخصوم وفق الإجراءات المقررة نظامًا.
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 12 explained in plain English
This article defines the role of the administrative appeal courts, the second level of litigation at the Board of Grievances after the administrative courts.
- What is appealed: The administrative appeal courts hear judgments issued by the administrative courts, provided those judgments are "appealable". The article does not state that every administrative judgment may be appealed, and it does not itself specify which judgments are appealable.
- Hearing the parties: The appeal court rules after hearing the statements of the parties; it does not decide the appeal without giving the parties to the case the chance to present their statements.
- Procedures: This takes place according to the procedures prescribed by law. The article does not detail these procedures or the deadlines for filing an appeal.
A further stage is then governed by Article 11, under which the Supreme Administrative Court hears objections to the judgments of the administrative appeal courts where the objection is on one of the grounds specified there. Article 13 sets out the cases within the original jurisdiction of the administrative courts.
Because the article refers to the procedures prescribed by law without detail, anyone who wants to appeal a judgment issued by an administrative court is best advised to consult a lawyer specialized in administrative cases to confirm that the judgment is appealable and to check the deadlines.
Practical example
Khalid brought a case before the administrative court against a government body, and the judgment dismissed it. If the judgment is one of those that may be appealed, the administrative appeal court hears it and rules on it after hearing the statements of Khalid and the government body.
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 12 of the Saudi Board of Grievances Law
Can all judgments of the administrative courts be appealed?
The article provides that the appeal courts hear appealable judgments, and it does not itself specify which judgments those are.
Does the administrative appeal court hear the statements of the parties?
Yes. It rules after hearing the statements of the parties in accordance with the procedures prescribed by law.
Which body hears an objection to an administrative appeal judgment?
The Supreme Administrative Court has jurisdiction over objections to the judgments of the administrative appeal courts, on the grounds set out in Article 11.
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.