Article 90 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 90 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الأول: الاختصاصات الجزائية
This article of the Regulations provides that the court hearing a criminal case decides all matters on which judgment in the case depends, even if it lacks subject-matter or territorial jurisdiction over them.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تفصل المحكمة التي تنظر الدعوى الجزائية في جميع المسائل التي يتوقف عليها الحكم في الدعوى ولو كانت غير مختصة بـها نوعاً أو مكاناً.
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 90 explained in plain English
This article of the Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law sets an important rule on the jurisdiction of the criminal court: the court hearing a criminal case decides all matters on which judgment in the case depends.
This extends even to matters over which the court lacks subject-matter or territorial jurisdiction. What counts is that judgment in the criminal case depends on deciding them.
One court thus decides the criminal case and the matters on which judgment in it depends. The article gives no examples of such matters.
But this rule is read with Article 91 of the Regulations, which deals with a special case, where judgment in the criminal case depends on the result of deciding another criminal case; assessing that is left to the court hearing the case, and if it decides to stay the case before it for that reason, it informs the court hearing the other criminal case.
This article is also linked to Article 89 of the Regulations on the continuation of the court's territorial jurisdiction after the accused's release, and comes within the chapter on criminal jurisdictions.
If you have a case before a court and need advice on your specific situation, it is best to consult a lawyer who specializes in criminal cases.
Practical example
A criminal court in Riyadh heard a breach of trust case, and judgment in it depended on determining whether the money claimed belonged to the claimant. The criminal court decides this matter because judgment depends on it, even if it lacks subject-matter or territorial jurisdiction over it.
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 90 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
Does the criminal court decide a matter outside its jurisdiction?
Yes, if judgment in the criminal case depends on it, even if the court lacks subject-matter or territorial jurisdiction over it.
What if judgment depends on the result of another criminal case?
Article 91 of the Regulations deals with this case; assessing the dependency is left to the court hearing the case, and if it stays the case, it informs the other court.
More articles on Case Closure and Criminal Jurisdiction
- Article 10
The article states what is issued when the public case lapses before being brought, either filing the papers or filing the case, and that lapse does not prevent investigation, confiscation or proceeding against the other accused.
1- إذا انقضت الدعوى الجزائية العامة قبل رفعها إلى المحكمة فيصدر رئيس دائرة التحقيق أمراً بحفظ الأوراق وفق ما نصت عليه المادة (الثالثة والستون) من النظام والمادة
- Article 42
The article requires an order to archive papers to be written and reasoned, and makes archiving before any investigation procedure an administrative act that the Bureau may reverse at any time.
1- يجب أن يكون الأمر بحفظ الأوراق - المنصوص عليه في المادة (الثالثة والستين) من النظام - مكتوباً ومسبباً. 2 - يكون حفظ الأوراق قبل اتخاذ أي إجراء من إجراءات الت
- Article 43
The article requires the investigator to notify the victim and the private claimant, or their heirs, of the order to archive papers in writing, with the person notified signing to acknowledge it in a special register.
يُبلغ المحققُ المجني عليه والمدعي بالحق الخاص، أو ورثتهما - بحسب الأحوال - بأمر حفظ الأوراق؛ كتابةً، ويوقع المبلَّغ بالعلم به في سجل خاص لذلك.
- Article 63
This article of the Regulations specifies the competent court referred to in Article 90 of the Law, and what it does where seized items are disputed or it is doubtful who is entitled to receive them.
1- المحكمة المختصة الوارد ذكرها في المادة (التسعين) من النظام هي المحكمة المختصة المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثامنة والثمانين) من النظام. 2- إذا رفع الأمر إلى الم
- Article 65
This article of the Regulations makes the court of the place of investigation the competent court, and requires it to refer litigants to the locally competent court if it decides to refer them to litigate and lacks local jurisdiction.
1- المحكمة التي يقع في دائرتها مكان التحقيق - الوارد ذكرها في المادة (الثالثة والتسعين) من النظام - هي المحكمة المختصة المنصوص عليها في المادة (الثامنة والثماني
- Article 87
This article of the Regulations requires an investigation procedure to precede archiving of a case, and regulates notifying the heirs of the private claimant of the archiving order.
1- يشترط لحفظ الدعوى - وفق المادة (الرابعة والعشرين بعد المائة) من النظام - أن يسبقه إجراء من إجراءات التحقيق. 2 - يحصل تبليغ جميع ورثة المدعي بالحق الخاص بأمر
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.