Article 8 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
المادة 8 من نظام المحاكم التجارية · الباب الأول: أحكام عامة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 (ثلاثين) يوماً من تاريخ البدء فيها، ما لم تتفق الأطراف على مدة أطول.
2- إجراءات الدعاوى الجماعية، على أن تتضمن تحديدها وإجراءات نظرها والحكم فيها.
3- إجراءات الدعاوى اليسيرة، على أن تتضمن تحديدها وإجراءات نظرها والحكم فيها.
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 8 explained in plain English
This article identifies three matters whose details were left to the Implementing Regulations, while setting basic rules for each:
- Conciliation and mediation: the Regulations set their procedures, including the cases that must be preceded by resorting to conciliation and mediation. That is, there are cases the court does not begin to hear before an attempt at settlement, and identifying these cases is referred to the Regulations. The article set a time limit: these procedures last no more than 30 days from the date they begin, unless the parties agree on a longer period.
- Class cases: the Regulations set their procedures, including identifying these cases and the procedures for hearing them and ruling in them.
- Small claims cases: likewise the Regulations determine what counts as a small claim, and the procedures for hearing it and ruling in it.
The practical benefit of this article is that anyone who wants to file a commercial case must check whether the case is one that the Regulations require to be preceded by conciliation or mediation, or is among the small or class cases that have special procedures. The article itself does not define these cases, but refers to the Regulations for them.
This article is connected to Article 7, which permits procedures to be electronic, and fits with Article 5, which permits using the private sector in conciliation and mediation.
Practical example
A dispute arose between a factory in Jeddah and a distributor over supply dues. If their case is one that the Regulations require to be preceded by conciliation and mediation, they go through these procedures first, which last no more than 30 days from their start, unless they agree on a longer period to give a greater chance for settlement.
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 8 of the Saudi Commercial Courts Law
How long does mediation last in commercial cases?
The conciliation and mediation procedures last no more than 30 days from the date they begin, unless the parties agree on a longer period.
Is conciliation required before filing every commercial case?
The article refers to the Regulations to identify the cases that must be preceded by conciliation and mediation, and does not make that a requirement in all cases.
What are small claims in the commercial court?
The Implementing Regulations determine small claims and the procedures for hearing them and ruling in them; the article does not state their criterion.
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 2
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.
دون إخلال بما نصت عليه الأنظمة التجارية والاتفاقيات الدولية التي تكون المملكة طرفاً فيها، تسري أحكام النظام واللائحة على المحكمة والدعاوى التي تختص بنظرها.
- 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
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.