Article 28 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
المادة 28 من نظام الإثبات · الفصل الأول: المحرَّرات الرسمية
If the original of an official document does not exist, an official copy has the force of the original if its appearance leaves no room for doubt that it matches, and other copies are taken into account only for guidance.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا لم يوجد أصل المحرَّر الرسمي فتكون للصورة الرسمية حجية الأصل؛ متى كان مظهرها الخارجي لا يسمح بالشك في مطابقتها للأصل، وما عدا ذلك من الصور فلا يعتد بها إلا لمجرد الاستئناس.
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 28 explained in plain English
This Article deals with the case where the original of the official document does not exist, while Article 27 deals with the official copy where the original exists.
- The official copy: It has the force of the original, provided that its external appearance does not allow doubt that it matches the original.
- Other copies: Any other copies are taken into account only for guidance, that is, they do not have the force of the original.
It follows from the text that an official copy whose external appearance allows doubt that it matches the original does not take the force of the original, and falls within the other copies that are taken into account only for guidance.
Article 27 provides that a copy is official if it is taken from the original in accordance with the procedures regulating this, and that, where the original exists, it is binding to the extent that it matches the original.
This rule shows the importance of obtaining official copies of important official documents, because unofficial copies are taken into account, where the original does not exist, only for guidance.
The Article is also linked to Article 29, which provides that an ordinary document is treated as issued by the person who signed it and is binding on him unless he expressly denies the handwriting, signature, seal or fingerprint attributed to him.
If the original of an important document of yours no longer exists, consult a lawyer specializing in civil and commercial cases to learn the value of the copies you have.
Practical example
The original of an official document belonging to Saleh was destroyed, and he has an official copy of it whose external appearance leaves no room for doubt that it matches the original. This copy has the force of the original. If he had only an ordinary, unofficial photocopy, it would be taken into account only for guidance.
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 28 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
Is a copy accepted if the original of the official document does not exist?
An official copy has the force of the original if its external appearance does not allow doubt that it matches the original.
What is the value of unofficial copies?
Any copies other than the official copy described are taken into account only for guidance.
More articles on Proof by Writing
- Article 25
An official document is one in which a public employee or person assigned to a public service records matters in accordance with legal formalities and within their authority; otherwise it has the force of an ordinary document if signed by the persons concerned.
1- المحرَّر الرسمي هو الذي يثبت فيه موظف عام أو شخص مكلف بخدمة عامة، ما تم على يديه أو ما تلقاه من ذوي الشأن، طبقاً للأوضاع النظامية، وفي حدود سلطته واختصاصه. 2
- Article 26
An official document is binding on everyone as to what its author did within his task or what occurred in his presence, unless forgery is proven, and what the persons concerned stated in it is binding on them unless the contrary is proven.
1- المحرَّر الرسمي حجة على الكافة بما دون فيه من أمور قام بها محرره في حدود مهمته، أو حدثت من ذوي الشأن في حضوره؛ ما لم يثبت تزويره بالطرق المقررة نظاماً. 2- يك
- Article 27
An official copy of an official document whose original exists is binding to the extent it matches the original; it is treated as matching unless a person concerned disputes it, in which case it must be compared with the original.
1- إذا كان أصل المحرَّر الرسمي موجوداً، فإن صورته الرسمية تعد حجة بالقدر الذي تكون فيه مطابقة للأصل. 2- تكون الصورة رسمية إذا أخذت من الأصل؛ وفقاً للإجراءات الم
- Article 29
An ordinary document is binding on the person who signed it unless he expressly denies his handwriting, signature, seal or fingerprint, and a denial is not accepted from a person who has discussed the substance of the document before the court.
1- يعد المحرَّر العادي صادراً ممن وقعه وحجة عليه؛ ما لم ينكر صراحة ما هو منسوب إليه من خط أو إمضاء أو ختم أو بصمة، أو ينكر ذلك خلَفُه أو ينفي علمه بأن الخط أو ا
- Article 30
Correspondence that is signed, or proven to be attributable to its sender, has the force of an ordinary document, unless the sender proves that he did not send it and did not assign anyone to send it.
تكون للمراسلات الموقع عليها أو الثابت نسبتها إلى مرسلها؛ حجية المحرَّر العادي في الإثبات، ما لم يثبت المرسل أنه لم يرسل الرسالة ولم يكلف أحداً بإرسالها.
- Article 31
The Article explains when merchants' books are binding for or against their owner, that they are not binding on non-merchants, and when the court may administer the supplementary oath based on them.
1- لا تكون دفاتر التجار حجة على غير التجار، ومع ذلك فإن البيانات المثبتة فيها تصلح أساساً يجيز للمحكمة أن توجه اليمين المتممة لمن قوي جانبه من الطرفين، وذلك فيم
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.