Article 21 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
المادة 21 من نظام المحاكم التجارية · الباب الثالث: قيد الدعوى
The article regulates registering a complete statement of claim, a 15-day period to remedy deficiencies, and the right to file a grievance with the court president within 15 days, with a final decision.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تُقيِّد الإدارة المختصة في المحكمة صحيفة الدعوى إذا كانت مستوفية المطلوب وفقاً للمادة (العشرين) من النظام.
2- إذا قررت الإدارة عدم قيد الدعوى؛ لعدم الاستيفاء، فعلى طالب القيد استيفاء ما نقص خلال (خمسة عشر) يوماً من تاريخ إبلاغه بذلك، فإن قيدت الدعوى بعد الاستيفاء عُدَّت مقيدة من تاريخ تقديم طلب القيد، وإن لم يستوفِ ما طلب منه خلال هذه المدة عُدَّ الطلب كأن لم يكن، ويجب على الإدارة إثبات تاريخ تقديم طلب القيد في جميع الأحوال.
3- لطالب القيد التظلم لدى رئيس المحكمة من عدم القيد خلال (خمسة عشر) يوماً من تاريخ إبلاغه بعدم القيد، ويفصل رئيس المحكمة -أو من ينيبه من قضاة المحكمة- في التظلم، ويعد قراره في هذا الشأن نهائيًّا.
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 21 explained in plain English
This article regulates registering the case, that is, recording it officially in the court, and what happens if the statement is incomplete:
1- Registration: the competent department in the court registers the statement of claim if it meets the requirements in Article 20, such as the parties' particulars and the list of claims and grounds.
2- Non-registration for incompleteness: if the department decides not to register the case because of a deficiency in it, the person requesting registration must remedy what is missing within 15 days of the date of being notified of that. The consequences are:
- If the deficiency is remedied and the case is registered, it is considered registered from the date of submitting the first registration request, not from the date of remedying. This matters for issues connected with deadlines.
- If the person does not remedy what was requested within the period, the request is considered as if it had not been made.
- In all cases the department must record the date of submitting the registration request.
3- Grievance: the person requesting registration may file a grievance with the court president against the decision of non-registration within 15 days of the date of being notified of it. The court president, or a judge of the court the president delegates, decides on the grievance, and the decision is final.
The practical advice: if you are notified that your case was not registered, do not let the fifteen-day period pass; either remedy the deficiency, or file a grievance if you believe the statement is complete.
After registration comes referring the case to the circuit and setting the hearing under Article 22.
Practical example
A company in Dammam submitted a statement of claim on the first of the month, and was notified of its non-registration because of a deficiency in the particulars of the defendant's legal representative. The company remedied the deficiency within 10 days, so the case was registered and considered registered from the first of the month, the date of the first request. Had it not remedied the deficiency within 15 days, the request would have been considered as if it had not been made.
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 21 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
How long is the period to remedy deficiencies in a statement of claim?
15 days from the date the person requesting registration is notified of non-registration for incompleteness.
What happens if I do not remedy the deficiency within the period?
The registration request is considered as if it had not been made.
From what date is the case counted as registered after the deficiency is remedied?
It is considered registered from the date of submitting the registration request.
How do I file a grievance against refusal to register my case?
By filing a grievance with the court president within 15 days of being notified of non-registration, and the decision of the president or the delegated judge is final.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Filing a Commercial Case
- 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
- Article 8
The article refers to the Regulations the organization of conciliation and mediation procedures lasting no more than 30 days unless the parties agree on longer, and of class and small claims cases.
تحدد اللائحة الآتي: 1- إجراءات المصالحة والوساطة، بما في ذلك الدعاوى التي يجب أن يسبق نظرَها اللجوءُ إلى المصالحة والوساطة، على ألا تزيد مدة تلك الإجراءات على (
- Article 14
The article refers to the Regulations the setting of time limits for the procedures of hearing a commercial case and its hearings, and requires cases and memoranda to be submitted according to procedures and forms approved by the Ministry of Justice.
1- تحدد اللائحة المدد اللازمة لإجراءات نظر الدعوى، بما يراعي طبيعة الدعاوى التجارية، على أن يشمل ذلك عدد الجلسات ونوعها وإجراءات ضبطها ومواعيدها والمدد بينها وح
- Article 17
The article defines the locally competent court: the court of the defendant's or plaintiff's residence or the place of concluding or performing the contract, and the head office or branch court in company cases.
1- ما لم يتفق الطرفان كتابة على غير ذلك، وفيما لم يرد فيه نص خاص في النظام، يكون الاختصاص المكاني للمحكمة التي يقع في نطاق اختصاصها مكان إقامة المدعى عليه، فإن
- Article 19
The article requires, in cases the Regulations specify, written notice to the defendant at least 15 days before filing the case, and permits the parties before registration to take procedures under the court's supervision.
1- يجب في الدعاوى التي تحددها اللائحة أن يخطر المدعي المدعى عليه كتابة بأداء الحق المدعى به قبل (خمسة عشر) يوماً على الأقل من إقامة الدعوى. 2- يجوز لأطراف التعا
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.