Article 54 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
المادة 54 من نظام المحاكم التجارية · الفصل السادس: الاستجواب
Each party to a commercial case has the right to question the other party directly, and the Implementing Regulations set the procedures and controls for this.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لأي من الأطراف الحق في استجواب الطرف الآخر مباشرة، وتحدد اللائحة إجراءات وضوابط ذلك.
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 54 explained in plain English
This article gives each party to the case the right to question the other party directly, that is, to put questions to it directly.
This right belongs to any party, so the plaintiff may question the defendant, and the defendant may question the plaintiff.
But the article does not state how the questioning is done or its limits; it refers to the Implementing Regulations to set its procedures and controls. Therefore, the text of the article alone does not show whether some questions are inadmissible, whether there is a particular order of questioning, or what specific effect refusing to answer has; these matters are found in the Implementing Regulations.
- Who holds the right: any party to the case.
- How: directly.
- The details: set by the Implementing Regulations.
This article is connected to Article 53 on the oath, which provides that if the court rules in the case based on the refusal of the person to whom the oath was administered or referred back to take it, they are not allowed to take it afterwards, and to Article 55, which allows electronic evidence to be treated as proof.
To prepare questions that serve the case, it is advisable to use a lawyer specialized in commercial cases.
Practical example
In a dispute between two companies in Riyadh over a delay in delivering equipment, the plaintiff company wanted to ask the defendant company the reason for the delay. It may question it directly, under the procedures and controls set by the Implementing Regulations.
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 54 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
Do I have the right to question my opponent in the commercial court?
Yes. Any party has the right to question the other party directly.
What are the controls for questioning the opponent in the commercial court?
The article refers to the Implementing Regulations to set the procedures and controls for questioning.
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.