Article 10 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
المادة 10 من نظام التنفيذ · الباب الثالث: السند التنفيذي
The article allows a debtor to ask the court to compel a creditor who refuses to collect a specific right due and established by an enforcement instrument, and if collection is impossible the court takes steps to let the debtor pay.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
للمدين أن يتقدم إلى المحكمة بطلب استيفاء الدائن لحق معين حالّ الأداء وثابت بموجب سند تنفيذي امتنع الدائن عن استيفائه، وتأمر المحكمة في هذه الحالة الدائن باستيفاء حقه، فإن تعذر استيفاء الدائن للحق أثبتت المحكمة ذلك، واتخذت الإجراءات التي تكفل للمدين الوفاء بالحق الثابت في ذمته؛ وفقًا لما تحدده اللائحة. وفي جميع الأحوال، تعدّ التكاليف المترتبة على تنفيذ ما ورد في هذه المادة -إن وجدت- من مصروفات التنفيذ.
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 10 explained in plain English
Normally it is the creditor who requests enforcement, but this article deals with the opposite case: a debtor who wants to pay his debt while the creditor refuses to accept it.
Conditions for applying the article:
- The right must be specific.
- It must be due for payment.
- It must be established by an enforcement instrument.
- The creditor must have refused to collect it.
What happens when the request is filed:
- The debtor files a request with the court that the creditor collect his right.
- The court orders the creditor to collect his right.
- If the creditor's collection of the right is impossible, the court records that and then takes the steps that ensure the debtor can pay the right established against him, as the Implementing Regulations specify.
The article provides that the costs resulting from applying it, if any, are counted as enforcement expenses.
The article benefits a debtor who wants to be discharged and to avoid the debt remaining outstanding because of the creditor's refusal. It does not specify the type of steps the court takes to enable the debtor to pay, but leaves them to the Implementing Regulations.
Practical example
A final judgment was issued obliging Abdullah to pay a sum to his neighbor, and Abdullah wanted to pay, but the neighbor refused to accept the sum. Abdullah can file a request with the Enforcement Court, and the court orders the neighbor to collect his right; if that is impossible, it records this and takes the steps that ensure Abdullah can pay what he owes under the Implementing Regulations.
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 10 of the Saudi Enforcement Law
What do I do if the creditor refuses to accept his right?
The debtor may file a request with the court that the creditor collect his right established by an enforcement instrument, and the court orders the creditor to collect it.
What if the creditor keeps refusing?
If the creditor's collection of the right is impossible, the court records that and takes the steps that ensure the debtor can pay, as the Implementing Regulations specify.
Who bears the costs of this procedure?
The costs resulting from it, if any, are counted as enforcement expenses.
More articles on Enforcement Document
- Article 4
The article sets the Enforcement Court's jurisdiction over supervising enforcement, compulsory enforcement and enforcement disputes, except for criminal penalties and the Board of Grievances' matters, without looking at the underlying right.
1- عدا تنفيذ العقوبات الجزائية وما تختص به محاكم ديوان المظالم، تختص المحكمة بالإشراف على التنفيذ وإجراءاته، وبالتنفيذ الجبري وإجراءاته، وتتولى الفصل في منازعات
- Article 7
The article provides that compulsory enforcement requires an enforcement instrument for a specific right due for payment, and lists the enforcement instruments, such as final judgments, cheques, registered bills and notarized contracts.
1- لا يجوز التنفيذ الجبري إلا بسند تنفيذي، اقتضاءً لحقٍّ معيّنٍ حالّ الأداء. والسندات التنفيذية المشمولة بأحكام النظام -دون إخلال بالسندات التنفيذية المشمولة بن
- Article 8
The article allows the holder of the right to enforce settlement agreements, notarized contracts and instruments with enforcement status whose right depends on an obligation not shown as performed in the instrument, by attaching a report from an approved expert body.
إذا كان الحق محل السندات التنفيذية، المنصوص عليها في الفقرات الفرعية (ج) و(و) و(ح) من الفقرة (1) من المادة (السابعة) من النظام، معلقًا على تنفيذ التزام لا يعلم
- Article 9
The article sets the conditions for enforcing foreign judgments and orders in the Kingdom, including reciprocity, finality and not violating public order, and the rules for enforcing foreign arbitral awards and notarized documents.
1- مع مراعاة ما تقضي به التزامات المملكة بموجب المعاهدات والاتفاقيات الدولية، لا يجوز للمحكمة تنفيذ الحكم أو الأمر الأجنبي إلا على أساس المعاملة بالمثل وبعد الت
- Article 11
The article provides that a request to enforce an instrument more than 10 years past its due date is not accepted, without prejudice to the relevant legal provisions.
دون إخلال بما تقضي به الأحكام النظامية ذات الصلة، لا يُقبل طلب التنفيذ بموجب سند تنفيذي مضى على تاريخ استحقاقه أكثر من (عشر) سنوات.
- Article 45
The article lets any interested person bring an enforcement dispute about the validity of the instrument, the conditions of its enforcement or the court's jurisdiction, which the court decides under the provisions on urgent cases.
1- دون إخلال بما نصت عليه الفقرة (2) من المادة (الرابعة) من النظام، لمن له مصلحة من أطراف التنفيذ أو من غيرهم أن يتقدم بمنازعة تنفيذ تتعلق بصحة السند التنفيذي أ
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.