Article 393 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
المادة 393 من نظام المعاملات المدنية · الفصل الخامس: عقد الصلح
The article excepts from the capacity requirement in Article 392 the settlement of an authorized discerning minor, which is not valid if it causes him clear harm.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
استثناءً من حكم الفقرة (1) من المادة (الثانية والتسعين بعد الثلاثمائة) من هذا النظام؛ لا يصح صلح الصغير المميز المأذون له، إذا ألحق الصلح به ضررًا بيّنًا.
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 393 explained in plain English
This article is an exception to the rule in paragraph (1) of Article 392, which is satisfied if the settling party has the capacity to dispose for consideration of the rights covered by the settlement.
The exception concerns a specific category, the authorized discerning minor. If this minor enters into a settlement, the settlement is not valid where one condition is met: that the settlement has caused him clear harm.
Two things are clear from this:
- The protection here is established in favor of the authorized discerning minor, so that the authorization granted to him is not exploited in a settlement that harms him.
- The harm meant is clear, that is, obvious, harm, not any slight shortfall that might by nature accompany any settlement; for under Article 391 a settlement rests on each party giving up his claim or part of it.
The article does not specify who grants the minor's authorization or its limits, nor any numerical criterion for clear harm; these matters are assessed according to each case and the relevant provisions of the Law.
To assess a particular situation, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in civil cases or in personal status matters.
Practical example
A discerning minor authorized to manage a small business in Dammam settled with a merchant a debt owed to him of 30,000 riyals for only 5,000 riyals, with no clear reason. If it is established that this settlement caused him clear harm, it is not valid under this article.
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 393 of the Saudi Civil Transactions Law
Is a settlement by an authorized discerning minor valid?
His settlement is not valid if it causes him clear harm, as an exception to paragraph (1) of Article 392.
What is meant by clear harm here?
The text requires that the harm be clear, that is, obvious, and does not set a specific numerical limit for it.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Settlement Contract
- Article 117
The article binds a person who promises the public a specified reward for a particular act to give it to whoever does the act under the announced conditions, and regulates withdrawal of the promise and the claim period.
1- من وجه للجمهور وعدًا بجائزةٍ محددةٍ على عملٍ معيَّنٍ، التزم بإعطاء الجائزة لمن قام بهذا العمل وفقًا للشروط المعلنة، ولو قام به دون نظر إلى الوعد بالجائزة أو
- Article 232
The Article provides that a settlement between one jointly liable debtor and the creditor takes effect against the others, except where it imposes a new obligation or an increase on them, in which case it takes effect only with the approval of the one affected.
ينفذ الصلح الذي يعقده أحد المدينين المتضامنين مع الدائن على باقي المدينين، ما لم يرتب في ذمتهم التزامًا جديدًا أو زيادةً في التزامهم؛ فإنه لا ينفذ في حق أي منهم
- Article 333
If the buyer settles with the entitlement claimant for money before judgment, the seller may escape the consequences of the warranty by repaying the settlement sum and its costs.
إذا تصالح المشتري مع مدعي الاستحقاق على مال قبل صدور حكم قضائي له، فللبائع أن يتخلص من نتائج الضمان بأن يرد للمشتري ما يعادل بدل الصلح ونفقاته.
- Article 391
The article defines a settlement as a contract by which two parties end an existing dispute or avert a potential one, each giving up his claim or part of it in return for the other's giving up his.
الصلح عقدٌ يحسم بمقتضاه المتصالحان نزاعًا قائمًا أو يتوقيان نزاعًا محتملًا، بأن ينزل كلٌّ منهما على وجه التَّقابل عن مُطالبته أو جزءٍ منها.
- Article 392
The article requires the settling party to have the capacity to dispose of the rights covered by the settlement for consideration, and requires a person who gives up some of his rights without consideration to have full legal capacity.
1- يجب أن يكون المتصالح أهلًا للتصرف بعوضٍ في الحقوق التي يشملها عقد الصلح. 2- إذا تضمن الصلح إسقاط شيءٍ من الحقوق دون مقابل وجب أن يكون من أسقط حقه كامل الأهلي
- Article 394
The article requires that the right being settled be one for which taking consideration is permitted.
يجب أن يكون المتصالح عنه مما يصح أخذ العوض في مقابله.
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.