Article 122 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 122 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الخامس: إجراءات الجلسة ونظامها
This article of the Regulations explains that if the court needs an expert's opinion or a competent authority's statement, it sends it a letter stating what is required together with copies of the necessary papers.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا اقتضى نظر المحكمة في قضية مرفوعة إليها أخذ رأي خبير، أو إفادة جهة مختصة، أو نحو ذلك، فتبعث المحكمة إلى الجهة المعنية كتاباً بالمطلوب، ترافقه صور مما تحتاج إليه الجهة من أوراق.
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 122 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law deals with a situation in which the court, while hearing a case brought before it, needs information or technical opinion that it does not have itself.
- When does it apply? If hearing the case requires obtaining an expert's opinion, a statement from a competent authority, or the like.
- How is it done? The court sends the body concerned a letter stating what is required.
- Attachments: the letter is accompanied by copies of what the body needs of the case papers, so that it can give its opinion or statement.
In practical terms, communication between the court and the expert or competent authority is written and specific, and the body is provided with the copies of papers it needs, not necessarily the whole file. The article does not specify the type of expertise or the bodies meant; the phrase "or the like" leaves it to the court to assess what it needs in each case.
This article follows Article 121, which regulates recording the court's orders and seizing items related to the case, and precedes Article 123, which allows the parties to submit what they want added to the case file, dated and signed. If you are a party to a case and want to know your position on an expert's opinion the court requested, you can consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A criminal court in Jeddah is hearing a case in which a person is accused of damaging equipment in a workshop. The court needed a technical assessment of the type of damage, so it sent a competent authority a letter stating what was required, and attached copies of the necessary inspection reports.
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 122 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Can the criminal court use an expert?
Yes. If hearing the case requires an expert's opinion or a competent authority's statement, the court sends the body concerned a letter stating what is required.
What does the court send with its request to the expert or authority?
The letter is accompanied by copies of what the body needs of the case papers.
More articles on Criminal Trial Procedures
- Article 7
The article explains that the acts mentioned in Article 20 of the Law are those occurring outside the session, and sets referral to a larger number of judges when needed and hearing them in a separate record.
1- يُقصد بالأفعال المشار إليها في المادة (العشرين) من النظام؛ ما كان خارج الجلسة، وتطبق فيما كان داخلها أحكام الفصل (الثالث) من الباب (السادس) من النظام وأحكام
- Article 91
This article of the Regulations leaves it to the court hearing the case to assess whether judgment in a criminal case depends on the result of another criminal case, and requires it, if it stays the case, to inform the other court.
1- يُرجع في تقدير توقف الحكم في الدعوى الجزائية على نتيجة الفصل في دعوى جزائية أخرى؛ إلى المحكمة التي تنظر الدعوى الجزائية. 2 - إذا قررت المحكمة وقف دعوى منظورة
- Article 92
This article of the Regulations provides that if a court or circuit finds it lacks jurisdiction it refers the case by decision to the competent one, and if the second also finds it lacks jurisdiction the matter goes to the Supreme Court to designate the competent one.
إذا رأت محكمة أو دائرة عدم اختصاصها في دعوى مرفوعة إليها وأنها من اختصاص محكمة أو دائرة أخرى، فتصدر قراراً بذلك، وتحيلها إلى المحكمة أو الدائرة الأخرى ، فإن رأت
- Article 93
This article of the Regulations requires that if a case is brought before two courts or circuits and each decides it has jurisdiction, they stop hearing it and send the papers to the Supreme Court to designate the competent one.
إذا رفعت دعوى إلى محكمتين أو دائرتين وقررت كل منهما اختصاصها؛ فتصدر كل منهما قراراً بذلك، ويجب عليهما إيقاف نظر الدعوى ورفع الأوراق إلى المحكمة العليا عن طريق ا
- Article 94
The article leaves it to the competent judicial circuit to assess the necessity that allows shortening the time to appear, and the length of the extension the accused requests to prepare a defense.
يعود إلى الدائرة القضائية المختصة بنظر الدعوى تقدير الضرورة التي تجيز إنقاص موعد الحضور في الدعوى الجزائية وتقدير مدة المهلة التي يطلب المتهم منحه إياها لإعداد
- Article 95
If the accused's place of residence cannot be found after adequate searching, the bailiff draws up a detailed report, and the bailiffs' department hands a copy of the notice to the emirate, governorate or center responsible for the place of notification.
إذا تعذرت معرفة مكان إقامة المتهم بعد البحث الكافي عنه وبعد الاستعانة بالجهات الأخرى ذات العلاقة - لتبليغه بالحضور أمام المحكمة وفق ما قضت به المادة (السابعة وا
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.