Article 29 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
المادة 29 من نظام الإثبات · الفصل الثاني: المحرَّرات العادية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 الإمضاء أو الختم أو البصمة هي لمن تلقى عنه الحق.
2- من احتج عليه بمحرَّر عادي وناقش موضوعه أمام المحكمة فلا يقبل منه أن ينكر بعد ذلك صحته، أو أن يتمسك بعدم علمه بأنه صدر ممن تلقى عنه الحق.
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 29 explained in plain English
This Article sets out the force of an ordinary document against the person who signed it, and when the right to deny it is lost.
First: the rule is that an ordinary document is binding on the person who signed it. It is treated as issued by the person who signed it and as binding on him, except in the following cases:
- He expressly denies the handwriting, signature, seal or fingerprint attributed to him.
- Or his successor denies this.
- Or the successor states that he has no knowledge that the handwriting, signature, seal or fingerprint belongs to the person from whom he received the right.
The text requires that the signatory's denial be express.
Second: the right to deny is lost by discussing the substance. A person against whom an ordinary document is invoked and who discusses its substance before the court is not permitted afterwards to deny its authenticity, or to rely on his lack of knowledge that it was issued by the person from whom he received the right.
This is an important practical warning: a person who believes that the handwriting or signature attributed to him is not genuine should deny it expressly before discussing the substance of the document before the court, because discussing the substance prevents a denial from being accepted afterwards.
The Article is linked to Article 30, which gives correspondence that is signed or proven to be attributable to its sender the force of an ordinary document, unless the sender proves that he did not send the message and did not assign anyone to send it, and to Article 28 on the force of an official copy where the original of the official document does not exist. To determine the appropriate position on a document invoked against you, consult a lawyer specializing in civil and commercial cases.
Practical example
Bandar presented a promissory note for SAR 30,000 signed by Khaled. If Khaled does not expressly deny his signature, the note is treated as issued by him and is binding on him. If Khaled discusses the substance of the note before the court, such as the amount of the debt and how it is to be paid, and then tries to deny his signature, that denial is not accepted from him.
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 29 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
Is a signed ordinary paper binding on the person who signed it?
Yes. An ordinary document is treated as issued by the person who signed it and as binding on him, unless he expressly denies the handwriting, signature, seal or fingerprint attributed to him.
Can an heir deny the signature of the person he inherited from?
The Article allows the successor to deny this, or to state that he has no knowledge that the handwriting, signature, seal or fingerprint belongs to the person from whom he received the right.
When is a denial of an ordinary document not accepted?
If the document is invoked against a person and he discusses its substance before the court, he is not permitted afterwards to deny its authenticity.
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 28
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.
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 ل
- 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.