Article 2 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
المادة 2 من نظام المحاكم التجارية · الباب الأول: أحكام عامة
The article provides that the Commercial Courts Law and its Regulations apply to the commercial court and the cases within its jurisdiction, without prejudice to commercial laws and international agreements.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
دون إخلال بما نصت عليه الأنظمة التجارية والاتفاقيات الدولية التي تكون المملكة طرفاً فيها، تسري أحكام النظام واللائحة على المحكمة والدعاوى التي تختص بنظرها.
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 2 explained in plain English
This article defines the scope of application of the Commercial Courts Law. As a rule, the Law's provisions and its Implementing Regulations apply to two things:
- The commercial court itself, in terms of its organization and procedures.
- The cases the court has jurisdiction to hear, that is, the cases whose adjudication falls within the jurisdiction of the commercial court.
But the article places an important restriction at its start with the phrase "without prejudice", meaning that applying the Law does not affect what is provided by:
- Other commercial laws: if a particular commercial law contains a special provision, it remains in force.
- International agreements to which the Kingdom is a party.
In practical terms: when a case is filed before the commercial court, its procedures are subject to the Commercial Courts Law and its Regulations, taking into account any special provision in another commercial law or in an international agreement the Kingdom has committed to.
The words of this article are understood according to the definitions in Article 1: the court means the commercial court, and the Regulations means the Implementing Regulations of the Law. It is also connected to Article 3, which sets out the role of the Supreme Judicial Council in establishing commercial courts and forming their circuits.
To know whether a special law or an international agreement changes the procedures in a particular dispute, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in commercial cases.
Practical example
A Saudi company in Jeddah has a commercial dispute with a supplier and files its case before the commercial court. The case procedures are subject to the Commercial Courts Law and its Regulations, but if a relevant commercial law or an international agreement to which the Kingdom is a party contains a special provision on the matter, that provision is not disregarded because the Commercial Courts Law applies.
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 2 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
What does the Commercial Courts Law apply to?
The Law and its Regulations apply to the commercial court and the cases it has jurisdiction to hear.
Does the Commercial Courts Law cancel the provisions of other commercial laws?
No. The article provides that its application is without prejudice to what the commercial laws provide.
What is the effect of international agreements on applying the Law?
International agreements to which the Kingdom is a party remain in force, and the Law applies without prejudice to them.
More articles on Jurisdiction of the Commercial Court
- Article 1
The article defines the basic terms used in the Commercial Courts Law, such as the Law, the Regulations, the Council, the court, the Ministry, the Minister and the parties.
يقصد بالألفاظ الآتية -أينما وردت في هذا النظام- المعاني المبينة أمام كل منها، ما لم يقتضِ السياق غير ذلك: النظام: نظام المحاكم التجارية. اللائحة: اللائحة التنفي
- Article 3
The article gives the Supreme Judicial Council the power to establish commercial courts as needed and to form their appellate and first-instance circuits of three judges or a single judge according to the Law.
يتولى المجلس الأعلى للقضاء -وفقًا لاختصاصاته- النظر في الآتي: 1- إنشاء المحاكم التجارية في المناطق والمحافظات بحسب الحاجة، على أن تكوَّن كل محكمة من دوائر استئن
- Article 4
The article regulates the powers of the president of the commercial court in supervision and naming judges and employees, the way court assistants are chosen, and refers defining their tasks to the Regulations.
1- يتولى رئيس المحكمة الإشراف على المحكمة وتسمية قضاة دوائرها وموظفي إداراتها؛ وفق ضوابط يحددها المجلس. 2- يُختار أعوان القضاء في المحكمة من ذوي الكفاية وفق الإ
- Article 5
The article permits the commercial court to use the private sector in supporting work such as conciliation, service of notices and registering cases, without prejudice to the independence of the judiciary and litigation guarantees.
دون إخلال باستقلال القضاء، وضمانات التقاضي، يجوز للمحكمة الاستعانة بالقطاع الخاص في الآتي: 1- المصالحة والوساطة. 2- التبليغ والإشعار. 3- قيد الدعوى والطلبات وتس
- Article 6
The article permits the parties to a commercial transaction, when all of them are merchants, to agree on specific pleading procedures, without prejudice to public order and the rules of justice.
استثناء من الأحكام الواردة في النظام، والأحكام الواردة في نظام المرافعات الشرعية، ودون إخلال بالنظام العام وقواعد العدالة؛ للأطراف في التعامل التجاري - متى كان
- Article 7
The article permits any procedure under the Commercial Courts Law to be carried out electronically, from filing the case to judgment and objection, and refers the details of application to the Regulations.
يجوز أن يكون أي من الإجراءات المنصوص عليها في النظام إلكترونيًّا، بما في ذلك تقديم الدعاوى والطلبات وقيدها، ونظرها، والترافع عن بُعد، وتبادل المذكرات، والحكم، و
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.