Article 55 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
المادة 55 من نظام المحاكم التجارية · الفصل السابع: الإثبات الإلكتروني
Electronic evidence may be treated as proof before the commercial court, including electronic documents, email and electronic records, and the Implementing Regulations set the means of verifying it and the procedures for submitting it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يجوز اعتبار الدليل الإلكتروني حجة في الإثبات، على أن تتضمن اللائحة وسائل التحقق من الدليل الإلكتروني وإجراءات تقديمه.
2- يشمل الدليل الإلكتروني الآتي:
أ- المحرر الإلكتروني.
ب- الوسائط الإلكترونية.
ج- وسائل الاتصال.
د- البريد الإلكتروني.
هـ- السجلات الإلكترونية.
و- أي دليل إلكتروني آخر تحدده اللائحة.
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 55 explained in plain English
This article deals with electronic evidence in commercial cases, and provides that it may be treated as proof, with the Implementing Regulations including:
- The means of verifying electronic evidence.
- The procedures for submitting it.
Paragraph 2 specifies what electronic evidence includes:
- Electronic documents.
- Electronic media.
- Means of communication.
- Email.
- Electronic records.
- Any other electronic evidence specified by the Implementing Regulations.
Note that the text uses the phrase "may": electronic evidence can be relied on as proof, while the means of verifying it and the procedures for submitting it remain as the Implementing Regulations specify. The last item also makes the list open to additions as specified by the Implementing Regulations.
The importance of this is practical in commercial dealings, since many agreements and correspondence take place by email and means of communication, so merchants should keep this evidence in an organized way.
This article is connected to Article 54, which gives each party the right to question the other party directly, and to Article 56, which provides that the Minister, in coordination with the Council, issues the rules on expertise before the court. To know how to submit electronic evidence in a particular dispute, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specialized in commercial cases.
Practical example
A supplier in Dammam agreed with a restaurant to supply food items by email messages, and the restaurant then denied the agreement. The supplier can submit these messages to the commercial court as electronic evidence that may be treated as proof, under the means of verification and submission procedures 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 55 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
Are emails evidence in the commercial court?
Electronic evidence includes email and means of communication, and may be treated as proof under the means of verification and submission procedures set by the Implementing Regulations.
What types of electronic evidence does the Commercial Courts Law recognize?
Electronic documents, electronic media, means of communication, email, electronic records, and any other electronic evidence specified by the Implementing Regulations.
How is electronic evidence verified?
The article provides that the Implementing Regulations include the means of verifying electronic evidence and the procedures for submitting it.
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.