Article 92 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 92 من اللائحة التنفيذية لنظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الثاني: تنازع الاختصاص
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 المحكمة أو الدائرة الأخرى عدم اختصاصها؛ فتصدر قراراً بذلك، وترفع إلى المحكمة العليا بطلب تعيين المحكمة أو الدائرة المختصة.
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 92 explained in plain English
This article of the Regulations regulates what is known as a negative conflict of jurisdiction, that is, when each court considers that the case is not within its jurisdiction.
- If a court or circuit finds that the case brought before it is not within its jurisdiction and is within the jurisdiction of another court or circuit, it issues a decision to that effect and refers the case to it.
- If the court or circuit to which it was referred finds that it also lacks jurisdiction, it issues a decision to that effect, and the matter is submitted to the Supreme Court with a request to designate the competent court or circuit.
The purpose is that a case should not remain suspended between two judicial bodies, with jurisdiction being settled by a higher body. Article 93 after it deals with the opposite case, where two courts both decide that they have jurisdiction over the same case, and the matter is also submitted to the Supreme Court.
The article mentions no time limits for these procedures, or what happens to the accused during them, so other texts should be consulted on that.
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 case was brought against a young man in Jeddah before a criminal circuit, which found it was within the jurisdiction of another circuit and referred it by decision. But the second circuit also found it lacks jurisdiction, so it issued a decision to that effect and the case was submitted to the Supreme Court to designate the circuit that will hear 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 92 of the Saudi Implementing Regulations of the Criminal Procedure Law
What does a court do if it finds the case is not within its jurisdiction?
It issues a decision that it lacks jurisdiction and refers the case to the court or circuit it considers competent.
What happens if both courts refuse to hear the case?
If the court to which it was referred finds that it also lacks jurisdiction, it issues a decision to that effect, and the matter is submitted to the Supreme Court to designate the competent court or circuit.
Who settles a conflict of jurisdiction in criminal cases?
According to Article 92 of the Regulations, a request to designate the competent court or circuit is submitted to the Supreme 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.