Article 30 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
المادة 30 من نظام الإثبات · الفصل الثاني: المحرَّرات العادية
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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.
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 30 explained in plain English
This Article gives correspondence value as evidence, by giving it the force of an ordinary document where either of two things is present:
- It is signed.
- Or it is proven to be attributable to its sender.
This force falls away if the sender proves both of the following together: that he did not send the message, and that he did not assign anyone to send it. The text places the burden of proving this on the sender.
The meaning of the force of an ordinary document is clear from Article 29, which provides that 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, and that 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.
The text does not specify the type of correspondence or the means used.
Article 31 regulates the force of merchants' books, providing that they are not binding on non-merchants, although the entries recorded in them may serve as a basis that allows the court to administer the supplementary oath to the party whose side is stronger in matters that may be proven by witness testimony.
In practice, it is advisable to keep correspondence relating to agreements and obligations. To assess the value of a particular message in your case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in civil and commercial cases.
Practical example
A supplier in Dammam sent a signed letter to one of his customers confirming the delivery date and the price of the goods. In a dispute, this letter has the force of an ordinary document, unless the supplier proves that he did not send it and did not assign anyone to send it.
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 30 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
Are messages valid as evidence?
Yes. Correspondence that is signed, or proven to be attributable to its sender, has the force of an ordinary document as evidence.
How do I deny a message attributed to me?
By proving that you did not send the message and did not assign anyone to send it.
Must a message be signed?
No. The Article also gives the force of an ordinary document to correspondence proven to be attributable to its sender.
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 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 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.