Article 147 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 147 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الثاني: النقض وإعادة النظر
This article of the Regulations provides that a judgment of death, stoning, amputation or retribution, if reversed by the Supreme Court and a new judgment issued and brought to it, is heard by the circuit that previously heard it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا نقضت المحكمة العليا حكماً صادراً بالقتل أو الرجم أو القطع أو القصاص في النفس أو فيما دونها وحكم في الدعوى من جديد، ثم رفعت إلى المحكمة العليا؛ فيكون نظرها من الدائرة التي سبق أن نظرتها.
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 147 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law deals with the course of serious judgments if they return to the Supreme Court again after being reversed.
Conditions for applying the article:
- The judgment is one issued for death, stoning, amputation, or retribution for life or for less than life.
- The Supreme Court has reversed it.
- The case is decided anew.
- The case is brought to the Supreme Court again.
The rule: it is heard by the circuit that previously heard it, not by another circuit.
The practical benefit is that the circuit that reversed the judgment the first time knows the reasons for its reversal, so it hears the new judgment with knowledge of the course of the case. The article does not address what the circuit does at its second hearing.
The article is linked to Article 146, which provides that the Supreme Court's hearing of these judgments is by circuits each composed of five judges, and to Article 148, which deals with the Supreme Court reversing a judgment a second time under Article 202 of the Law, in which case the circuit hearing the objection assesses whether the subject matter, as it stands, is fit for judgment. If your case is of this kind, it is important to have the help of a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
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 147 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Who hears a retribution judgment in the Supreme Court after it is reversed and a new judgment is issued?
It is heard by the circuit that previously heard it in the Supreme Court.
Does the article cover all criminal judgments?
No. It concerns judgments issued for death, stoning, amputation, or retribution for life or for less than life.
More articles on Objecting to Criminal Judgments
- Article 138
This article of the Regulations provides that a judgment of not hearing the case for a fundamental defect that cannot be corrected is recorded and an objectionable instrument issued, and the corrected case is heard by the same circuit.
1- يدون في ضبط الدعوى الحكمُ الصادر - وفقا للمادة (الحادية والتسعين بعد المائة) من النظام- بعدم سماع الدعوى التي وُجِد فيها عيب جوهري لا يمكن تصحيحه، ويصدر به ص
- Article 139
This article of the Regulations requires recording that the parties were informed of their right to object, its period and the effect of missing it, and gives the public prosecutor and the private-right claimant the right to object to an unfixed discretionary penalty.
1- يدون في ضبط الدعوى إعلام أطراف الدعوى بحقهم في الاعتراض على الحكم، والمدة المحددة لتقديمه، وأن الحكم سيكتسب لصفة القطعية بمضي تلك المدة دون تقديم مذكرة الاعت
- Article 140
This article of the Regulations provides that an objector's withdrawal of his objection neither reduces the objection period nor loses his right to it unless that period passes.
ليس لعدول المعترض على الحكم عن اعتراضه أثر في نقص المدة المحددة لتقديم الاعتراض ولا يسقط حقه فيه ما لم تنقض تلك المدة.
- Article 141
This article of the Regulations explains the effect of not submitting the objection within its period: for a judgment not subject to mandatory review the right to appeal or review is lost and it becomes final, and for one subject to mandatory review the right to submit the memorandum is lost.
1- إذا كان الحكم غير واجب التدقيق، ولم يقدم المعترض اعتراضه خلال المدة المحددة للاعتراض سقط حقه في طلب الاستئناف، أو التدقيق، واكتسب الحكم صفة القطعية، وعلى الد
- Article 142
This article of the Regulations requires the objection to be submitted by a memorandum under paragraph 1 of Article 195 of the Law, lodged with the court that issued the judgment within the period, and allows more than one memorandum on conditions.
1- لا يقبل الاعتراض على الحكم إلا بمذكرة مشتملة على ما نصت عليه الفقرة (1) من المادة (الخامسة والتسعين بعد المائة) من النظام، وللمدعي العام بعثها بكتاب رسمي، وت
- Article 143
This article of the Regulations requires the circuit that issued the challenged judgment to record in the case record that it has seen the objection memorandum.
تدون الدائرة التي أصدرت الحكم المعترض عليه ما يفيد اطلاعها على المذكرة الاعتراضية في ضبط 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.