Article 196 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 196 من نظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الأول: الاستئناف
Article 196 requires the circuit that issued the ruling to examine the objection memorandum, usually without pleading, then confirm its ruling and submit it to the court of appeal, or amend it and notify the litigants.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تنظر الدائرة التي أصدرت الحكم المعترض عليه في المذكرة الاعتراضية من ناحية الوجوه التي بُنِيَ عليها الاعتراض من غير مرافعة، ما لم يظهر مقتضٍ لها. وعليها أن تؤكد حكمها أو تعدِّله بحسب ما يظهر لها، فإذا أكدت حكمها فترفعه مع صورة ضبط القضية ومذكرة الاعتراض وجميع الأوراق إلى محكمة الاستئناف. أما إن عدَّلتـه فيبلغ الحكم المعدَّل للخصوم، وتسري عليه في هذه الحال الإجراءات المعتادة.
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 196 explained in plain English
This article explains the stage that follows depositing the objection memorandum, a stage that takes place before the circuit that issued the ruling itself before the case reaches the court of appeal:
- Scope of examination: the circuit examines the memorandum with respect to the grounds on which the objection is based.
- Without pleading: the examination is without pleading, unless a need for it appears.
- The result: the circuit must confirm its ruling or amend it according to what appears to it:
- If it confirms it: it submits it, with a copy of the case record, the objection memorandum and all the papers, to the court of appeal.
- If it amends it: the amended ruling is notified to the litigants, and the usual procedures apply to it.
This article is connected to Article 195, which requires the objection to be made by a memorandum deposited with the administration of the court that issued the ruling, containing the grounds of the objection and the objector's requests, recorded on the day it is deposited and referred immediately to the circuit. For this reason it is important that the grounds in the memorandum are clear, because the circuit examines the objection with respect to them.
After submission, Article 197 follows, regulating the court of appeal's examination: it sets a session if it sees fit to hear the case by pleading, examines on the basis of what is in the file and the defenses or new evidence the litigants submit, and then rules to uphold the ruling or quash it in whole or in part and rules on what it quashed.
A person who has submitted an objection and wants to follow its course is best advised to seek the help of a lawyer specialized in criminal cases.
Practical example
Abdulrahman submitted an objection memorandum against a ruling issued against him in Buraydah. The same circuit examined the grounds of his objection without pleading, then confirmed its ruling and submitted it, with a copy of the case record, the memorandum and all the papers, to the court of appeal.
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 196 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
Does the same court reconsider its ruling after the objection?
Yes. The circuit that issued the ruling examines the objection memorandum with respect to the grounds on which it is based, and then confirms its ruling or amends it.
Is the objection examined in the presence of the litigants?
The circuit examines the memorandum without pleading, unless a need for it appears.
What happens if the court amends its ruling?
The amended ruling is notified to the litigants, and the usual procedures apply to it.
When does the case move to the court of appeal?
If the circuit confirms its ruling, it submits it, with a copy of the case record, the objection memorandum and all the papers, to the court of appeal.
More articles on Objecting to Criminal Judgments
- Article 9
The article provides that criminal judgments are open to objection under the provisions of the Criminal Procedure Law.
تكون الأحكام الجزائية قابلة للاعتراض عليها وفقًا للأحكام المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام.
- Article 10
The article provides that judgments issued by the court of appeal, or upheld by it, for death, stoning, amputation or qisas (retaliation) are not final until upheld by the Supreme Court.
الأحكام الصادرة من محكمة الاستئناف أو المؤيدة منها بالقتل، أو الرجم، أو القطع، أو القصاص في النفس أو فيما دونها، لا تكون نهائية إلا بعد تأييدها من المحكمة العلي
- Article 11
The article provides that if the Supreme Court does not uphold a judgment presented to it under Article 10, it sets it aside and returns the case to the court of first instance to rule on it anew by judges other than those who heard it.
إذا لم تؤيد المحكمة العليا الحكم المعروض عليها ـ تطبيقًا للمادة (العاشرة) من هذا النظام ـ فتنقض الحكم، وتعيد القضية إلى محكمة الدرجة الأولى لتحكم فيها من جديد م
- Article 192
Article 192 gives the convicted person, the public prosecutor and the private right claimant the right to request appeal or review of first-instance rulings, and requires the court to inform them of this right when pronouncing the ruling.
1 - للمحكوم عليه وللمدعي العام وللمدعي بالحق الخاص؛ طلب استئناف أو تدقيق الأحكام الصادرة من محاكم الدرجة الأولى خلال المدة المقررة نظامًا. وعلى المحكمة التي تصد
- Article 193
Article 193 sets an appointment of at most ten days after the ruling is pronounced to receive a copy of the judgment deed, makes depositing it in the file, if the parties do not attend, the start of the objection period, and regulates handing it to a prisoner or detainee.
تحدد المحكمة بعد النطق بالحكم موعدًا أقصاه عشرة أيام لتسلم صورة صك الحكم، مع إثبات ذلك في ضبط القضية وأخذ توقيع الخصوم. فإن لم يحضر أيّ منهم لتسلم صورة صك الحكم
- Article 194
Article 194 sets the objection period for requesting appeal or review at thirty days, after which the right lapses, and requires that rulings of death, stoning, amputation and retaliation be submitted to the court of appeal even if no one requests it.
مدة الاعتراض بطلب الاستئناف أو التدقيق ثلاثون يومًا. فإذا لم يقدم المعترض اعتراضه خلال هذه المدة سقط حقه في طلب الاستئناف أو التدقيق. وإذا كان الحكم صادرًا بالق
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.