Article 136 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 136 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل السابع: الحكم
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 المرافعات الشرعية.
2 ـ إذا جرى تكليف أحد القضاة بإكمال نصاب الدائرة التي تنظر القضية؛ فيتلى عليه ما تم ضبطه، ثم يشترك مع باقي الأعضاء في المداولة.
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 136 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law deals with two matters relating to the composition of the judicial circuit and the issuing of judgment:
- Lack of a majority: if the majority needed to issue judgment is not available as provided in Article 8 of the Criminal Procedure Law, what is stated in Article 162 of the Law of Sharia Procedure is observed. This article does not state the content of that article, but refers to it.
- A judge completing the quorum: if one of the judges is assigned to complete the quorum of the circuit hearing the case, what has been recorded is read to him, and then he joins the other members in deliberation.
The second paragraph protects the parties' right to have every judge who takes part in the judgment informed of what happened in the case before he joined; the new judge does not enter the deliberation until what was recorded in the case record has been read to him. The article does not state the reason for the assignment or who assigns the judge.
This article follows Article 135 on the meaning of the criminal case in Article 186 of the Law and proof of a previous judgment, and precedes Article 137, which explains the meaning of the court's composition in Article 188 of the Law. If you have an observation about the composition of the circuit that heard your case, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A criminal circuit in Jeddah was hearing a case when one of its members could not continue, so another judge was assigned to complete the circuit's quorum. Before he took part in the deliberation, what had been recorded in the previous sessions was read to him, and then he joined the other members in the deliberation.
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 136 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
What happens if the judges do not agree on a criminal judgment?
If the majority needed under Article 8 of the Law is not available, what is stated in Article 162 of the Law of Sharia Procedure is observed.
May a judge who joined late take part in the judgment?
If he is assigned to complete the circuit's quorum, what has been recorded is read to him, and then he joins the other members in the deliberation.
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 130
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.
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 - إ
- 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
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.