Article 358 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 358 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفرع الخامس: بيع الحقوق المتنازع فيها
A judge, public prosecution member and the like, and court employees, may not buy a disputed right, nor may a lawyer who is the agent in it, and the contract is void.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- لا يجوز للقاضي، ولا لعضو النيابة العامة ومن في حكمه، ولا لموظف المحكمة، أن يشتري لنفسه باسمه أو باسم غيره الحق المتنازع فيه أو بعضه، ويكون العقد باطلًا.
2- لا يجوز للمحامي أن يشتري لنفسه باسمه أو باسم غيره الحق المتنازع فيه أو بعضه متى كان وكيلًا فيه، ويكون العقد باطلًا.
3- يعد الحق متنازعًا فيه إذا كان موضوعه قد رفعت به دعوى أو قام في شأنه نزاع جدي.
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 358 explained in plain English
This article protects the integrity of the judiciary and people's trust in it, by barring certain categories from buying disputed rights, whether they buy for themselves in their own name or another's, and whether they buy the whole right or part of it.
Who is covered by the bar:
- The judge.
- A member of the public prosecution and those in the same position.
- A court employee.
- The lawyer, but on condition that he is the agent in this right.
The consequence: the contract is void. This is a stricter consequence than the non-effectiveness provided by Article 357 for an agent buying for himself, where the owner may approve the sale.
When is a right disputed? The third paragraph specifies two cases:
- where the subject of the right has been made the subject of a claim;
- or where a serious dispute has arisen over it, even if no claim has yet been filed.
Article 359 deals with the sale of another's property, providing that a sale made without permission by a person of a specific thing he does not own does not take effect against the owner unless he approves it.
Anyone who thinks a dealing in a disputed right may fall within this bar is advised to consult a lawyer specialized in civil cases.
Practical example
A lawyer in Riyadh was appointed as agent in a case concerning land whose ownership is disputed, and he offered his client to buy his right in the land from him in his wife's name. This purchase is barred because the lawyer is the agent in this right, and the contract is void even though it is made in another person's name.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentA question about Article 358 of Civil Transactions Law?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Civil Litigation & Compensation lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Civil Litigation & Compensation lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Active contributor
Unwan Law Firm
Frequently asked questions about Article 358 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
May a lawyer buy the right he is arguing a case about?
He may not buy the disputed right or part of it where he is the agent in it, even in another's name, and the contract is void.
When is a right considered disputed?
When a claim has been filed over its subject, or a serious dispute has arisen over it.
Who is barred from buying disputed rights?
The judge, a member of the public prosecution and those in the same position, a court employee, and a lawyer where he is the agent in the right.
More articles on Sale Contract
- Article 23
The article defines consumable things as those whose use, according to what they are prepared for, is limited to consuming or spending them, and treats everything prepared in stores for sale as consumable.
الأشياء القابلة للاستهلاك هي التي ينحصر استعمالها -بحسب ما أُعدّت له- في استهلاكها أو إنفاقها، ويعد قابلًا للاستهلاك كل ما أعد في المتاجر للبيع.
- Article 44
Paying earnest money gives only the payer the right to withdraw from the contract without recovering it, unless otherwise agreed; the court sets the withdrawal period if the parties have not.
1- دفع العربون عند إبرام العقد يفيد أن لدافع العربون وحده الحق في العدول عن العقد، وليس له إذا عدل أن يسترد مبلغ العربون، وذلك كله ما لم يتفق على خلافه. 2- إذا
- Article 109
The article provides that exchange contracts are concluded on the basis that the subject matter is free of defects except what custom tolerates, and that an intolerable defect is a breach of the obligation.
تُعدُّ عقود المعاوضات منعقدةً على أساس سلامة محل العقد من العيوب إلا ما جرى العرف على التسامح فيه، فإذا تبيَّن في المحل عيبٌ لم يجر العرف على التسامح فيه؛ عُدَّ
- Article 165
The article provides that a right to a thing specified by kind attaches to a particular item only once it is set apart, and lets the creditor, on non-performance, obtain a like item at the debtor's expense.
1- إذا تعلق الحق بشيء معين بالنوع لا بالذات، فإنه لا يختص بشيء بذاته من ذلك النوع إلا بإفرازه. 2- إذا لم يقم المدين بتنفيذ التزامه جاز للدائن أن يحصل على شيء من
- Article 166
The article places the risk of destruction or damage on the debtor who failed to deliver, in two cases: transfer of a real right and an obligation to perform work involving delivery, each on different conditions.
1- الالتزام بنقل حق عيني يتضمن الالتزام بتسليم الشيء والمحافظة عليه حتى تسليمه، فإذا لم يقم المدين بتسليمه حتى هلك أو تلف كانت تبعة ذلك عليه. 2- إذا كان محل الا
- Article 307
Article 307 defines sale as a contract under which the seller transfers ownership of the item sold to the buyer for a cash price.
البيع عقد يُمَلِّكُ بمقتضاه البائع المبيع للمشتري مقابل ثمنٍ نقدي.
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.