Article 48 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
المادة 48 من نظام الإثبات · الفرع الثالث: الادعاء بالتزوير
The Article allows the court, even if forgery was not claimed before it, to rule that any document is rejected and void if it clearly appears to it to be forged, provided it states the circumstances and presumptions.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز للمحكمة -ولو لم يُدَّعَ أمامها بالتزوير- أن تحكم برد أي محرَّر وبطلانه إذا ظهر لها بجلاء من حالته أو من ظروف الدعوى أنه مزور، ويجب عليها في هذه الحالة أن تبين في حكمها الظروف والقرائن التي تبينت منها ذلك.
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 48 explained in plain English
The rule is that an investigation into forgery begins with a claim by one of the parties. But this Article gives the court an independent power: to rule that any document is rejected and void even if no one has claimed forgery before it.
Two conditions apply to the use of this power:
- It must clearly appear to the court that the document is forged; mere doubt is not enough.
- This must appear from the state of the document itself, or from the circumstances of the case.
In return, the Article imposes an obligation on the court: it must state in its judgment the circumstances and presumptions from which it concluded that there was forgery. This ensures that the judgment is reasoned and that the parties know its basis.
The power is discretionary; the text says that the court may, and does not require it to rule that the document is rejected in every case.
Article 47 provides that an order for investigation into a claim of forgery suspends the document's fitness for enforcement, while Article 49 provides for a fine of up to SAR 10,000 if the claim of forgery is rejected or the claimant's right to prove is forfeited, and requires the document to be referred to the Public Prosecution if forgery is proven. A person who doubts a document submitted against him is advised to consult a lawyer specializing in civil litigation.
Practical example
In a dispute over ownership of movable property in Taif, one of the parties submitted a paper whose state clearly showed alteration of the date and names, and his opponent did not claim forgery. The court may rule that the paper is rejected and void, provided that it states in its judgment the circumstances and presumptions from which it concluded that there was forgery.
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 48 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
Can a judge rule that a document is forged without the opponent challenging it?
Yes. Even if forgery was not claimed before it, the court may rule that any document is rejected and void if it clearly appears to it, from the document's state or the circumstances of the case, that it is forged.
Must the court give reasons for rejecting a document?
Yes. It must state in its judgment the circumstances and presumptions from which it concluded that there was forgery.
Is doubt enough to reject a document?
The text requires that the forgery clearly appear to the court from the state of the document or from the circumstances of the case.
More articles on Denying a Signature and Challenging for Forgery
- 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 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 38
The Article gives the court power to assess the effect of physical defects in a document on its evidentiary force, to accept all or part of it, and to question its issuer or author where its validity is doubtful.
1- للمحكمة أن تقدر ما يترتب على العيوب المادية في المحرَّر من إسقاط حجيته في الإثبات أو إنقاصها، ولها أن تأخذ بكل ما تضمنه المحرَّر أو ببعضه. 2- إذا كانت صحة ال
- Article 39
The Article distinguishes between a claim of forgery, which applies to official and ordinary documents, and denial of handwriting, seal, signature or fingerprint, which applies only to ordinary documents, and sets the burden of proof.
1- يرد الادعاء بالتزوير على المحرَّر الرسمي والعادي، أما إنكار الخط أو الختم أو الإمضاء أو البصمة فلا يرد إلا على المحرَّر العادي. 2- على الخصم الذي يدعي التزوي
- Article 40
The Article sets the conditions under which the court orders an investigation by comparison, by hearing witnesses, or by both, when handwriting, signature, seal or fingerprint on an ordinary document is denied.
إذا أنكر من احتج عليه بالمحرَّر العادي خطه أو إمضاءه أو ختمه أو بصمته، أو أنكر ذلك خلفه أو نائبه أو نفى علمه به، وظل الخصم الآخر متمسكاً بالمحرَّر، وكان المحرَّ
- Article 41
The Article regulates the hearing at which documents for comparison are submitted and the effect of parties' absence, and requires the party disputing a document's validity to attend in person to provide a handwriting sample.
1- تحدد المحكمة جلسة لحضور الخصوم لتقديم ما لديهم من محرَّرات للمضاهاة، والاتفاق على ما يصلح منها لذلك، فإن تخلف الخصم المكلف بالإثبات بغير عذر مقبول جاز الحكم
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.