Article 11 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
المادة 11 من نظام الإثبات · الباب الأول: أحكام عامة
Admission, interrogation, testimony and the oath take place before the court, which may move or assign a judge if that is not possible, and delegates the court of the place of residence if evidence cannot be taken electronically.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- تكون إجراءات الإثبات من إقرار أو استجواب أو أداء للشهادة أو اليمين أمام المحكمة، فإن تعذر فللمحكمة أن تنتقل أو تكلف أحد قضاتها بذلك.
2- إذا كان المقر أو المستجوب أو الشاهد أو من وجهت إليه اليمين ونحوهم مقيماً خارج نطاق اختصاص المحكمة، وتعذر إجراء الإثبات إلكترونياً؛ فعلى المحكمة أن تستخلف محكمة مكان إقامته. وفي هذه الحالة يبلغ قرار الاستخلاف للمحكمة المستخلَفة.
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 11 explained in plain English
This article specifies where the following evidence procedures are taken: admission, interrogation, giving testimony and the oath.
- As a rule, before the court: these procedures take place before the court.
- Where this is not possible: if they cannot be carried out before the court, the court may move, or assign one of its judges to do so.
- Residence outside the court's jurisdiction: if the person making the admission, being interrogated, the witness, or the person to whom the oath is directed, and the like, lives outside the court's jurisdiction, and the evidence procedure cannot be carried out electronically, the court must delegate the court of his place of residence. In that case the decision to delegate is notified to the court delegated.
Note that delegation under paragraph 2 is conditional on two things together: residence outside the court's jurisdiction, and the impossibility of carrying out the evidence procedure electronically. This is consistent with Article 10, which gives any evidence procedure taken electronically the provisions set out in the law.
Article 12 deals with the case of a mute person and the like, whose admission, interrogation, giving of testimony and oath, and the directing, refusing and returning of it, are done in writing, or if he does not know how to write, by his customary gestures.
If one of the parties or witnesses in your case is in another city, a lawyer specializing in civil and commercial cases can help follow the appropriate procedure.
Practical example
In a case before a court in Riyadh, the main witness lives in Abha, outside the court's jurisdiction, and his testimony could not be heard electronically. In this case the court must delegate the court of his place of residence, and the decision to delegate is notified to that court.
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 11 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
Where are testimony and the oath given?
As a rule, before the court. If that is not possible, the court may move or assign one of its judges to do so.
What if the witness lives outside the court's jurisdiction?
If he lives outside the court's jurisdiction and the evidence procedure cannot be carried out electronically, the court must delegate the court of his place of residence.
Is the delegated court notified of the decision to delegate?
Yes. Paragraph 2 provides that the decision to delegate is notified to the court delegated.
More articles on Burden of Proof and General Provisions
- Article 1
Article 1 defines the scope of the Law of Evidence, providing that its provisions apply to civil and commercial transactions.
تسري أحكام هذا النظام على المعاملات المدنية والتجارية.
- Article 2
The article requires the claimant to prove his right and gives the defendant the right to deny it, requires facts to be relevant, material and admissible, and prevents the judge from ruling on his personal knowledge.
1- على المدعي أن يثبت ما يدعيه من حق، وللمدعى عليه نفيه. 2- يجب أن تكون الوقائع المراد إثباتها متعلقة بالدعوى، ومنتجة فيها، وجائزاً قبولها. 3- لا يجوز للقاضي أن
- Article 3
The article sets general rules of evidence: the evidence is on the claimant and the oath on the denier, the function of each, and the difference between the force of evidence and of admission.
1- البينة على من ادعى، واليمين على من أنكر. 2- البينة لإثبات خلاف الظاهر، واليمين لإبقاء الأصل. 3- البينة حجة متعدية، والإقرار حجة قاصرة. 4- الثابت بالبرهان كال
- Article 4
If items of evidence conflict and cannot be reconciled, the court takes the one that is preferred in light of the case's circumstances, otherwise none, and must state its reasons in the judgment.
دون إخلال بأحكام هذا النظام، إذا تعارضت أدلة الإثبات ولم يمكن الجمع بينها فتأخذ المحكمة منها بحسب ما يترجح لها من ظروف الدعوى، فإن تعذر ذلك فلا تأخذ المحكمة بأي
- Article 5
The law does not require any particular form to prove an obligation, unless a special provision or an agreement between the parties says otherwise.
لا يلزم لإثبات الالتزام شكل معين؛ ما لم يرد فيه نص خاص أو اتفاق بين الخصوم.
- Article 6
The court gives effect to the parties' agreement on specific rules of evidence unless it violates public order, and such an agreement is not recognized unless it is in writing.
1- إذا اتفق الخصوم على قواعد محددة في الإثبات فتُعمِل المحكمة اتفاقَهم؛ ما لم يخالف النظام العام. 2- لا يعتد باتفاق الخصوم المنصوص عليه في هذا النظام ما لم يكن
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.