Article 130 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 130 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل السابع: الحكم
This article of the Regulations sets the contents of the draft criminal judgment, the rules on a judge's absence and the accused's attendance at the reading of the judgment, determining the criminal description, and drafting the instrument.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يجب أن تحرر مسودة الحكم قبل النطق به، وأن تشتمل على رقم الدعوى، وتاريخها، ونص الحكم، وأسبابه، وأسماء القضاة الذين اشتركوا في إصداره، وتوقيعاتهم مؤرخاً.
2 - إذا تخلف أحد القضاة المشاركين في نظر القضية عن حضور جلسة تلاوة الحكم؛ فيدون ذلك في ضبط الدعوى، وأنه وقع على مسودة الحكم.
3 - يتحقق اشتراط حضور المتهم لجلسة تلاوة الحكم في غير الجرائم الكبيرة بحضور وكيله أو محاميه، ما لم تأمر المحكمة بحضور المتهم شخصياً.
4 - على المحكمة تحديد الوصف الجرمي في الحكم الصادر في الدعوى الجزائية قبل تقرير العقوبة.
5 - يتلى الحكم بعد التوقيع عليه ممن أصدره، سواءً تم التوقيع في مسودة الحكم أو في ضبط الدعوى.
6 - يكون الصك مختصراً حاوياً لما أشير إليه في الفقرة (2) من المادة (الحادية والثمانين بعد المائة) من النظام، مع حذف الحشو والجمل المكررة التي لا علاقة لها بالحكم ولا تأثير لها فيه.
7 - إذا كان ضبط الدعوى إلكترونياً فإن قيد القضية يقوم مقام عدد ضبط الدعوى.
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 130 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law sets important formal rules for issuing a criminal judgment:
- The draft judgment: it must be drawn up before the judgment is pronounced, and must include the case number and date, the text of the judgment and its reasons, and the names of the judges who took part in issuing it and their dated signatures.
- Absence of a judge: if one of the judges who took part in hearing the case is absent from the session at which the judgment is read, that is recorded in the case record, noting that he signed the draft judgment.
- The accused's attendance: in crimes other than serious crimes the requirement of the accused's attendance at the session for reading the judgment is met by the attendance of his agent or lawyer, unless the court orders him to attend in person. Serious crimes under Article 1 of the Regulations are crimes requiring detention under Article 112 of the Law.
- The criminal description: the court must determine the criminal description in the judgment before deciding the penalty.
- Reading after signing: the judgment is read after it has been signed by those who issued it, whether the signature is on the draft or in the case record.
- The instrument: it is concise and contains what paragraph 2 of Article 181 of the Law refers to, omitting filler and repeated sentences that have no connection to the judgment and no effect on it.
- Electronic record: if the case record is electronic, the case registration takes the place of the number of the case record.
This article helps the accused and the parties to the case know what a judgment must contain, and that in crimes other than serious crimes the accused may rely on the attendance of his agent or lawyer unless the court orders otherwise. It follows Article 129 on deferring decision on the requests of the private-right claimant or the accused, and precedes Article 131 on the certified copy of the judgment. To know whether a particular case is a serious crime, you can consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
Yasser was accused in a case that is not a serious crime before a criminal court in Khobar, and a session was set for reading the judgment while he was traveling. His lawyer attended the session, so the requirement of his attendance was met because the court did not order him to attend in person. The court read the judgment after it was signed, and had determined the criminal description in it before deciding the penalty.
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 130 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Must I attend the criminal judgment session myself?
In crimes other than serious crimes, the requirement of the accused's attendance is met by the attendance of his agent or lawyer, unless the court orders him to attend in person.
What must the draft judgment contain?
The case number and date, the text of the judgment and its reasons, and the names of the judges who took part in issuing it and their dated signatures.
Is the judgment valid if one of the judges is absent from the reading session?
The article provides that his absence is recorded in the case record, noting that he signed the draft judgment.
What is the criminal description and when is it determined?
It is the description of the act that constitutes the crime in the judgment, and the court must determine it before deciding the penalty.
More articles on Criminal Judgments and Nullity of Procedures
- Article 127
This article of the Regulations requires that the report prepared on the court's judgment that an official paper, in whole or in part, is forged, under Article 178 of the Law, be included in the case record.
يضمن المحضر المعد في شأن حكم المحكمة بثبوت تزوير ورقة رسمية (كلها أو بعضها) - وفق ما نصت عليه المادة (الثامنة والسبعون بعد المائة) من النظام - في ضبط الدعوى.
- Article 128
This article of the Regulations requires a judge who is barred from ruling because the judgment would run contrary to his knowledge to record that in the case record and inform his direct superior.
إذا امتنع على القاضي الحكم في قضية لتوجه الحكم فيها بما يخالف علمه؛ فعليه أن يدون ذلك في ضبط الدعوى ويخبر مرجعه المباشر بذلك لاتخاذ ما يلزم نظاماً.
- Article 129
This article of the Regulations regulates the court's deferring decision on the requests of the private-right claimant or the accused under Article 180 of the Law, how they are later heard, and their statement in the judgment.
1- إذا قررت المحكمة إرجاء الفصل في طلبات المدعي بالحق الخاص أو المتهم - استناداً إلى المادة (الثمانين بعد المائة) من النظام - فيضمَّن ذلك مع أسبابه في الحكم الص
- Article 131
This article of the Regulations defines the certified copy of the judgment, and sets how a final judgment is officially notified and the Bureau informed, while preserving the parties' right to know it is final.
1- الصورة المصدقة - المشار إليها في المادة (الثانية والثمانين بعد المائة) من النظام - هي صورة الحكم المختوم عليها بخاتم التصديق المتضمن أن الصورة طبق الأصل، أو
- Article 135
This article of the Regulations clarifies that the criminal case in Article 186 of the Law is the public case, and sets when a copy of a previous judgment is certified and the form of the court's certificate of it.
1- الدعوى الجزائية الواردة في المادة (السادسة والثمانين بعد المائة) من النظام هي الدعوى الجزائية العامة. 2 - تعد صورة الحكم التي يثبت بها الحكم السابق في الدعوى
- Article 136
This article of the Regulations refers, where the majority needed for judgment is not available, to Article 162 of the Law of Sharia Procedure, and regulates a judge assigned to complete the circuit's quorum taking part.
1- إذا لم تتوافر الأغلبية اللازمة لإصدار الحكم - بحسب ما نصت عليه المادة (الثامنة) من النظام - فيراعى ما نصت عليه المادة (الثانية والستين بعد المائة) من نظام ال
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.