Article 116 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
المادة 116 من نظام الإثبات · الباب العاشر: الخبرة
The article prohibits refusing, without a legal justification, to enable the expert to carry out his task under Article 115, and requires him to report to the court on any refusal, obstacle, or need to widen his task, with the court deciding.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- لا يجوز لأي شخص أن يمتنع بغير مسوّغ نظامي عن تمكين الخبير من أداء مهمته وفقاً لما قررته المادة (الخامسة عشرة بعد المائة)، وعلى الخبير في حال الامتناع أن يرفع عن ذلك إلى المحكمة، ولها أن تقرر ما تراه بما في ذلك إلزام الممتنع والاستعانة بالقوة الجبرية عند الاقتضاء.
2- يجب على الخبير الرفع إلى المحكمة إذا اعترضت عمله عقبة حالت دون متابعة مهمته أو تطلّب الأمر توسيع نطاق مهمته، وعلى المحكمة أن تقرر ما تراه.
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 116 explained in plain English
This article deals with what happens if the expert's work is obstructed, whether by someone's refusal to cooperate or by an obstacle arising.
First: refusing to enable the expert
- No one may refuse, without a legal justification, to enable the expert to carry out his task as set out in Article 115, that is, hearing statements, seeing the books, documents and items, and inspecting the premises and places.
- If there is a refusal, the expert must report the matter to the court.
- The court may decide what it sees fit, including compelling the refuser and using force where necessary.
Second: obstacles and widening the task
The expert must report to the court in two cases:
- If an obstacle arises that prevents him from continuing his task.
- If widening the scope of his task becomes necessary. The expert does not widen his task himself; the court decides.
In both cases the court is to decide what it sees fit.
Note that the prohibition is limited to refusal "without a legal justification"; if there is a legal justification for refusing, the prohibition does not apply. The article is also connected to Article 117, which sets out what the expert's report on his work must contain.
A person who believes he has a legal justification for not handing over a document or allowing an inspection is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in litigation and civil matters before refusing.
Practical example
An engineer was appointed to inspect a factory in Jubail in a dispute over an equipment supply contract, and the factory manager refused to let him enter without a legal reason. The expert reported the matter to the court, which decided to compel the factory to enable him to carry out the inspection.
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 116 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
What happens if a party refuses to hand documents to the expert?
The expert must report the matter to the court, which may decide what it sees fit, including compelling the refuser and using force where necessary.
Can the expert widen his task on his own?
No. He must report to the court if widening the scope of his task becomes necessary, and the court decides what it sees fit.
May enabling the expert be refused in every case?
The article prohibits refusal without a legal justification.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Inspection and Expert Opinion
- Article 91
The article allows the court, where necessary, to appoint an expert to verify that a custom or usual course of dealing between the parties exists, in accordance with the provisions on expert opinion in Part Ten of the Law.
للمحكمة عند الاقتضاء ندب خبير للتحقق من ثبوت العرف أو العادة بين الخصوم، وفقاً للأحكام المقررة في الباب (العاشر) من هذا النظام.
- Article 108
The article allows the court, of its own motion or at a party's request, to order an inspection of the matter in dispute, with notice to an absent party at least 24 hours before, and to use an expert and hear witnesses.
1- للمحكمة -من تلقاء نفسها أو بناء على طلب أحد الخصوم- أن تقرر معاينة المتنازع فيه، وتحدد في قرار المعاينة تاريخها ومكانها، ويبلغ به من كان غائباً من الخصوم قبل
- Article 109
The article allows a person who fears the features of a fact that may become disputed will be lost to request its inspection and the recording of its condition by an urgent claim, with the possible appointment of an expert and a hearing set for the parties' comments on his report.
1- يجوز لمن يخشى ضياع معالم واقعة يحتمل أن تصبح محل نزاع أمام القضاء أن يطلب معاينتها وإثبات حالتها، ويقدم الطلب بدعوى مستعجلة للمحكمة المختصة وفقاً للإجراءات ا
- Article 110
The article allows the court, of its own motion or at a party's request, to appoint one or more experts to give an opinion on technical matters, with expertise suited to the subject, and to approve the parties' agreement on an expert.
1- للمحكمة -من تلقاء نفسها أو بناء على طلب أحد الخصوم- أن تقرر ندب خبير أو أكثر؛ لإبداء رأيه في المسائل الفنية التي يستلزمها الفصل في الدعوى. 2- يراعى في اختيار
- Article 111
The article requires the operative part of the order appointing an expert to state precisely his task, his powers, and the urgent measures he is authorized to take.
يجب أن يتضمن منطوق قرار ندب الخبير بياناً دقيقاً بمهمته، وصلاحياته، والتدابير العاجلة التي يؤذن له في اتخاذها.
- Article 112
The article governs the court's setting of the expert fee amount, the party required to deposit it and the deadline, the other party's option to deposit with a right of recourse, and the effect of neither party depositing.
1- تحدد المحكمة -عند الاقتضاء- المبلغ المقرر للخبرة، والخصم المكلف بإيداع المبلغ وتعين أجلاً لذلك. 2- إذا لم يودع الخصم المكلف المبلغ المقرر للخبرة في الأجل الم
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.