Article 1 of the Saudi Judicial Costs Law
المادة 1 من نظام التكاليف القضائية
The Article defines the key terms of the Judicial Costs Law, such as judicial costs, the case, requests, the competent department and the Implementing Regulations.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يكون للألفاظ والعبارات الواردة في هذا النظام المعاني المبيَّنة أمامها، ما لم يقتض السياق معنى آخر:
النظام: نظام التكاليف القضائية.
اللائحة: اللائحة التنفيذية للنظام.
الإدارة المختصة: الإدارة المعنية بتحصيل التكاليف القضائية، وردها.
التكاليف القضائية: مبالغ مالية يلتزم المكلف بدفعها إلى الإدارة المختصة، وفقاً لأحكام النظام واللائحة. ولا تشمل ما يطلب منه أثناء سير الدعوى من تكاليف يستلزمها الفصل فيها.
الدعوى: الدعوى المرفوعة أمام المحاكم.
الطلبات: كل ما يقدمه الخصوم وغيرهم من طلبات أمام المحاكم مما لا يدخل في الدعوى.
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 1 explained in plain English
This Article is the definitions article: it explains what is meant by words that recur in the Law, so that the other articles are understood in one sense, unless the context of a particular article requires another meaning.
- Judicial costs: sums of money that the obligated person must pay to the competent department under the provisions of the Law and the Implementing Regulations. The Article provides that they do not include costs required of the obligated person during the case that are needed to decide it; those are different sums from the judicial costs the Law regulates.
- The case: the case filed before the courts.
- Requests: everything submitted by litigants or others before the courts that is not part of the case itself.
- The competent department: the department concerned with collecting and refunding judicial costs.
- The Implementing Regulations: the Implementing Regulations of the Law, to which many details are referred.
These definitions matter in practice, as the distinction between a "case" and "requests" determines the type of cost that may be imposed. Article 2 follows to explain that the Law applies to all cases and requests submitted to the courts, with exceptions for specified categories, including general criminal and disciplinary cases, what the personal status courts and the Board of Grievances handle, and certain other cases and requests.
If it is unclear whether what you are submitting to the court counts as a case or a request, you can consult a lawyer specialized in litigation and procedure.
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 1 of the Saudi Judicial Costs Law
What are judicial costs in Saudi Arabia?
They are sums of money that the obligated person must pay to the competent department under the Judicial Costs Law and its Implementing Regulations.
Do judicial costs include expenses requested while the case is being heard?
No. The definition excludes costs required of the obligated person during the case that are needed to decide it.
What is the difference between a case and requests under the Law?
A case is one filed before the courts, and requests are everything submitted by litigants and others before the courts that is not part of the case.
More articles on Scope of Judicial Costs
- Article 2
The Article makes the Judicial Costs Law apply to all cases and requests before the courts, and excepts six categories of cases and requests.
تسري أحكام النظام على جميع الدعاوى والطلبات التي تقدم إلى المحاكم، فيما عدا ما يأتي: 1- الدعاوى الجزائية العامة، والدعاوى التأديبية، والطلبات المتعلقة بها. 2- ا
- Article 19
The collected judicial costs are deposited in the current account of the Ministry of Finance at the Saudi Central Bank.
تودع مبالغ التكاليف القضائية المحصلة في حساب جاري وزارة المالية لدى البنك المركزي السعودي.
- Article 20
The Minister of Justice determines by decision the competent department in the court for collecting judicial costs and refunding them where grounds for refund exist.
يحدد وزير العدل بقرار منه الإدارة المختصة -في المحكمة المرفوع إليها الدعوى، أو المقدم إليها الطلب- بتحصيل التكاليف القضائية، وردِّها إذا توافرت مسوغات الرد.
- Article 21
The Article permits the Minister of Justice to license the private sector to carry out supporting work for applying the Law, and refers licensing provisions, work procedures and supervision to the Implementing Regulations.
لوزير العدل الترخيص للقطاع الخاص بالقيام بالأعمال المساندة لتطبيق النظام. وتحدد اللائحة أحكام التراخيص له وقواعد إجراءات عمله والإشراف عليه.
- Article 22
The Ministry of Justice must prepare the Implementing Regulations within 60 days of the Law's issuance, to be issued by a decision of the Council of Ministers.
تعد وزارة العدل اللائحة خلال (ستين) يوماً من تاريخ صدور النظام، وتصدر بقرار من مجلس الوزراء.
- Article 23
The Judicial Costs Law takes effect 180 days after its publication in the Official Gazette.
يعمل بالنظام بعد (مائة وثمانين) يوماً من تاريخ نشره في الجريدة الرسمية.
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.