Article 121 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
المادة 121 من نظام الإثبات · الباب العاشر: الخبرة
The article allows the parties to agree in advance to accept the result of the expert's report, states that otherwise the expert's opinion does not bind the court, and allows the court to order a negligent or mistaken expert to return what he received.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يجوز للخصوم، ولو قبل رفع الدعوى، الاتفاق على قبول نتيجة تقرير الخبير، وتُعمل المحكمة اتفاقهم؛ ما لم يتضمن التقرير ما يخالف النظام العام.
2- مع عدم الإخلال بحكم الفقرة (1) من هذه المادة، لا يقيد رأي الخبير المحكمة، وإذا لم تأخذ المحكمة به كله أو بعضه بينت أسباب ذلك في حكمها.
3- للمحكمة إذا لم تأخذ بتقرير الخبير كله أو بعضه بسبب إهمال الخبير أو خطئه أن تأمره برد جميع ما تسلمه أو بعضه -بحسب الأحوال-، وذلك دون إخلال بالجزاءات التأديبية وبحق ذوي الشأن في الرجوع عليه بالتعويضات.
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 121 explained in plain English
This article regulates the weight of the expert's report in the case, and deals with three matters:
- The parties' agreement to accept the result: the parties may agree to accept the result of the expert's report, even before the case is filed. If there is such an agreement, the court gives effect to it, that is, it adopts the result of the report, on one condition: that the report does not contain anything contrary to public order.
- The rule that the court is not bound by the expert's opinion: apart from the agreement above, the expert's opinion remains a technical opinion that does not bind the court. It may not take it in whole, or may take part of it and not the rest, but in that case it must state its reasons in its judgment.
- Responsibility of a negligent or mistaken expert: if the court does not accept the report in whole or in part because of the expert's negligence or error, it may order him to return all or part of what he received, as the case may be. This does not prevent disciplinary penalties being imposed on him, nor the right of those concerned to claim compensation from him.
This article is connected to Article 120, which allows the court to summon the expert to discuss his report, order him to complete the missing parts of his work, or appoint another expert. Article 122 then sets out who bears the amount fixed for the expert opinion, namely the party who lost the claim that was the subject of the expert opinion.
In practice, if the two parties want to settle a technical dispute by an expert report that they will abide by, they may agree on that in advance, subject to the public order limit. Anyone who objects to an expert report in his case is advised to consult a lawyer who specializes in litigation and procedure.
Practical example
A contracting company in Jeddah agreed with a building owner, when signing the contract, to accept the result of an engineering expert's report in any dispute over the quality of the work. When a dispute arose and the report was submitted, the court gave effect to their agreement and adopted the result of the report because it did not contain anything contrary to public order. Had there been no such agreement, the court could have taken part of the report and left part, stating its reasons in its judgment.
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 121 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
Is the court obliged to adopt the expert's report?
No. As a rule the expert's opinion does not bind the court, which may decline to take it in whole or in part provided it states its reasons in its judgment. The exception is where the parties agreed to accept the result of the report, unless it contains something contrary to public order.
Can the parties agree to accept the expert's report before the case is filed?
Yes. The article allows the parties to make this agreement even before the case is filed, and the court gives effect to it unless the report contains something contrary to public order.
What happens if the expert makes a mistake or is negligent in his report?
If the court does not accept the report in whole or in part because of the expert's negligence or error, it may order him to return all or part of what he received, without prejudice to disciplinary penalties and the right of those concerned to claim compensation from him.
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.