Article 37 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
المادة 37 من نظام الإثبات · الفصل الثالث: طلب إلزام الخصم بتقديم المحرَّرات الموجودة تحت يده
The Article allows the court, on its own or at a party's request and at any stage, to bring in a third party to be required to produce a document, and to request documents or information from public bodies.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
مع مراعاة الأحكام المنصوص عليها في المواد السابقة، يجوز للمحكمة من تلقاء نفسها، أو بناء على طلب أحد الخصوم، وفي أي مرحلة تكون عليها الدعوى، أن تقرر الآتي:
1- إدخال الغير لإلزامه بتقديم محرَّر تحت يده.
2- طلب محرَّر من جهة عامة أو صورة مصدقة منه بما يفيد مطابقته لأصله إذا تعذر ذلك على الخصم، وللمحكمة أن تطلب من الجهة العامة أن تقدم -كتابة أو شفاهاً- ما لديها من معلومات ذات صلة بالدعوى، دون إخلال بالأنظمة.
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 37 explained in plain English
The important document in a case may not be held by the opponent but by another person or by a government body. For this reason, the Article gives the court additional powers, subject to the provisions set out in the preceding Articles. The court may exercise them on its own or at the request of a party, and at any stage of the case:
- Bringing in a third party: The court may decide to bring in a person who is not a party to the case in order to require him to produce a document in his possession.
- Requesting from a public body: The court may request from a public body a document or a certified copy of it confirming that it matches its original, if this is not possible for the party. It may also request the public body to provide, in writing or orally, the information it holds that is relevant to the case, without prejudice to the laws.
The phrase "without prejudice to the laws" means that this power is exercised within the limits of the other laws in force; the Article does not detail those limits.
This Article is linked to Article 36, which regulates requests to produce or inspect documents in commercial cases. To learn how to make use of these powers in a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in civil litigation.
Practical example
Noura claims a right relating to real estate in Madinah, and needs a document held by a government body that she was unable to obtain herself. She may ask the court to request the document or a certified copy of it from that body, and the court may also do so on its own.
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 37 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
Can the court require a person who is not a party to the case to produce a document?
Yes. The court may decide to bring in a third party to require him to produce a document in his possession, on its own or at a party's request.
Does the court request documents from government bodies?
It may request from a public body a document or a certified copy of it if this is not possible for the party, and may request information relevant to the case in writing or orally, without prejudice to the laws.
When can this request be made?
At any stage of the case.
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 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.
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.