Article 203 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
المادة 203 من نظام الإجراءات الجزائية · الفصل الثاني: النقض
The article bars raising a ground before the Supreme Court that was not stated in the objection memorandum, unless it concerns public order, in which case the court takes it up on its own motion.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز التمسك أمام المحكمة العليا بسبب لم يرد في مذكرة الاعتراض، ما لم يكن السبب متعلقًا بالنظام العام؛ فتأخذ به المحكمة من تلقاء نفسها.
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 203 explained in plain English
This article defines the scope of the grounds the Supreme Court may consider in an objection by cassation:
- The rule: A ground that was not stated in the objection memorandum may not be raised before the Supreme Court. The objector is bound by the grounds written in the memorandum.
- The exception: If the ground concerns public order, the court takes it up on its own motion even if it was not stated in the memorandum.
The article does not define what counts as concerning public order; that assessment is left to the court.
The importance of this rule shows when the cassation memorandum is prepared: grounds left out of the memorandum cannot be raised later before the Supreme Court, except for matters of public order. The objector should therefore state in the memorandum every ground he wishes to rely on.
The article follows Article 202, which regulates how the Supreme Court decides the merits of the objection on the papers in the file without examining the facts of the case, and upholds the judgment or sets it aside in whole or in part.
Anyone preparing a cassation memorandum is best advised to use a lawyer specialized in criminal cases to include all the grounds in the memorandum.
Practical example
Nasser filed a cassation memorandum relying only on an error in the legal characterization of the incident, and later wanted to add another ground before the Supreme Court that he had not mentioned. He may not do so, unless the new ground concerns public order, in which case the court takes it up on its own motion.
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 203 of the Saudi Criminal Procedure Law
Can I add a new ground before the Supreme Court?
A ground that was not stated in the objection memorandum may not be raised, unless it concerns public order.
Does the Supreme Court consider grounds the objector did not mention?
Yes, if the ground concerns public order, the court takes it up on its own motion.
Why must all grounds be stated in the cassation memorandum?
Because the article does not allow a ground to be raised before the Supreme Court if it was not in the memorandum, except matters of public order.
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.