Article 47 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
المادة 47 من نظام المحاكم التجارية · الفصل الثالث: الكتابة
Any interested person may ask the court to recover a document they claim is theirs or to prove that its purpose has ended, and the court orders its recovery under the provisions of Part Seven of the Law.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لكل ذي مصلحة أن يتقدم للمحكمة بطلب استرداد مستند يدعي أنه له، أو طلب إثبات انقضاء الغرض منه، وتأمر المحكمة باسترداده وفق أحكام الباب (السابع) من النظام.
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 47 explained in plain English
This article gives any interested person the right to submit one of two requests to the court:
- A request to recover a document that they claim is theirs.
- A request to prove that the purpose of the document has ended.
The court orders recovery of the document under the provisions of Part Seven of the Law. The article itself does not set out the details of those provisions but refers to them, so the procedures and conditions for recovery are found in Part Seven, not in this article.
The text does not limit this right to the parties to the case, but grants it to "any interested person", that is, anyone with an interest in the document.
This article falls within the chapter on writing, and is connected to Article 46, which regulates each party's right to request documents held by the other party that relate to the case, or to inspect them, and allows the court, at a party's request, to bring in another party to compel it to produce a paper in its possession that relates to the case, or to compel any government entity to produce information or documents it holds.
Anyone who wants to recover a document, or to prove that its purpose has ended, should consider consulting a lawyer specialized in commercial cases to learn the required procedures.
Practical example
A commercial establishment in Riyadh believes that the original of a certain instrument belongs to it and wants to recover it. As an interested person, it may submit a request to the court to recover it, and the court orders its recovery under the provisions of Part Seven of the Law.
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 47 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
How do I recover a document that belongs to me in a commercial case?
Any interested person may submit a request to the court to recover a document they claim is theirs, and the court orders its recovery under the provisions of Part Seven of the Law.
Is a request to recover a document limited to the parties to the case?
No. The text grants this right to "any interested person" and does not limit it to the parties to the case.
More articles on Evidence in a Commercial Case
- Article 38
The provisions of the evidence chapter apply to Commercial Court cases unless a special provision says otherwise; no special form is needed to prove an obligation, and parties may agree on evidence rules and shift the burden of proof.
1- فيما لم يرد فيه نص خاص في الأنظمة التجارية، تسري أحكام هذا الفصل على إجراءات الإثبات في الدعاوى التي تختص بنظرها المحكمة. 2- لا يلزم لإثبات الالتزام شكل خاص،
- Article 39
The court may depart from evidence procedures it ordered, or not rely on their result, by a decision recorded in the hearing minutes, provided it states the reasons for departing.
للمحكمة أن تعدِل بقرار تثبته في محضر الجلسة عما أمرت به من إجراءات الإثبات، أو ألا تأخذ بنتيجة إجراء الإثبات، بشرط أن تبين أسباب ذلك العدول.
- Article 40
An admission is judicial if made before the court about a fact relating to the case during its hearing, preparation or the exchange of memoranda, and the court may infer it from written evidence submitted.
1- يعد الإقرار قضائيًّا إذا أقر أحد الأطراف أمام المحكمة بواقعة متعلقة بدعوى أثناء السير في نظرها. 2- يسري حكم الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة على أي إقرار تمّ أثناء إ
- Article 41
The commercial court assesses the weight of a non-judicial admission according to the means used to prove it.
للمحكمة تقدير حجية الإقرار غير القضائي بحسب الوسائل التي اتخذت لإثباته.
- Article 42
A party's statement in official papers is binding on that party unless the contrary is proved, and an ordinary paper is treated as issued by the person it is attributed to unless they expressly deny their handwriting, signature, seal or fingerprint.
1- يكون مضمون ما صرح به أي من الأطراف في الأوراق الرسمية حجة عليه، ما لم يثبت غير ذلك. 2- تعد الورقة العادية صادرة ممن نسبت إليه، ما لم ينكر صراحة ما هو منسوب إ
- Article 43
A copy of a document is treated as identical to its original unless an interested party disputes it; if disputed and comparison with the original is impossible, it may still be relied on as a presumption in four specified cases.
1- تُعَدُّ صورة المستند مطابقة لأصلها ما لم ينازع في ذلك أي من ذوي الشأن؛ فتجب مطابقتها على أصلها. 2- يجوز الاعتداد بصورة المستند التي نازع فيها أي من ذوي الشأن
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.