Article 96 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
المادة 96 من نظام الإثبات · الفصل الثاني: اليمين الحاسمة
The article allows the oath to be tendered in financial rights and at any stage of the case, prohibits it on a fact contrary to public order, and requires the court to prevent it in specified cases.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يجوز أن توجه اليمين في الحقوق المالية، وفي أي حالة تكون عليها الدعوى، وفقاً للأحكام الواردة في هذا الباب.
2- لا يجوز توجيه اليمين في واقعة مخالفة للنظام العام.
3- على المحكمة منع توجيه اليمين إذا كانت غير متعلقة بالدعوى أو غير منتجة أو غير جائز قبولها. وللمحكمة منع توجيهها إذا كان الخصم متعسفاً في 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 96 explained in plain English
This article sets the limits on tendering the decisive oath, and states when it may be demanded and when the court must or may prevent it.
When may the oath be tendered?
- In financial rights.
- At any stage of the case, so demanding it is not limited to a particular stage.
- All of this in accordance with the provisions in the same Part.
When may it not be? The oath may not be tendered on a fact contrary to public order.
The court's prevention of tendering the oath has two levels:
- Mandatory prevention: the court must prevent tendering the oath if it is unrelated to the case, or unproductive (that is, it does not affect the decision of the case), or inadmissible.
- Discretionary prevention: the court may prevent tendering it if the opponent who demands it is abusive in doing so.
The article is read with Article 95, which sets out the manner of swearing on certainty or on denial of knowledge, and with Article 97, which governs what happens when the plaintiff is unable to produce evidence and demands his opponent's oath, and the referring back of the oath and refusal to swear it.
Whoever believes his opponent is demanding an oath that has no connection to the dispute or is abusive may raise this before the court. To assess this in a particular case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in litigation and civil matters.
Practical example
In a claim for the price of a used car, the seller asked the buyer to swear about personal matters unrelated to the price. Here the court must prevent tendering this oath because it is unrelated to the case.
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 96 of the Saudi Law of Evidence
Can the oath be demanded at any stage of the case?
Yes. The article provides that the oath may be tendered in financial rights and at any stage of the case, in accordance with the provisions of the Part.
When does the court refuse to allow the oath to be tendered?
It must prevent it if it is unrelated to the case, unproductive or inadmissible, and it may prevent it if the opponent is abusive.
Can the oath be tendered on a matter contrary to public order?
No. The article provides that the oath may not be tendered on a fact contrary to public order.
More articles on The Oath
- Article 3
The article sets general rules of evidence: the evidence is on the claimant and the oath on the denier, the function of each, and the difference between the force of evidence and of admission.
1- البينة على من ادعى، واليمين على من أنكر. 2- البينة لإثبات خلاف الظاهر، واليمين لإبقاء الأصل. 3- البينة حجة متعدية، والإقرار حجة قاصرة. 4- الثابت بالبرهان كال
- Article 12
A mute person's admission, interrogation, testimony and oath, and the directing, refusing and returning of it, are done in writing, or if he cannot write, by his customary gestures.
يكون إقرار الأخرس ومن في حكمه واستجوابه وأداؤه للشهادة واليمين وتوجيهها والنكول عنها وردها بالكتابة، فإن لم يكن يعرف الكتابة فبإشارته المعهودة.
- 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
- Article 35
The Article sets out when the court orders the opponent to produce the requested document, and the consequences if he refuses to produce it or denies that it exists.
1- إذا أقر الخصم أن المحرَّر في حوزته أو سكت، أو أثبت الطالب صحة طلبه، أمرت المحكمة بتقديم المحرَّر. 2- إذا امتنع الخصم عن تقديم المحرَّر المطلوب بعد إمهاله مرة
- Article 51
Where proof must be in writing, a judicial admission, a decisive oath, or a beginning of written proof supported by another means of proof may take its place, and the Article defines this beginning of proof.
1- يجوز في الأحوال التي يجب فيها الإثبات بالكتابة أن يحل محلها الإقرار القضائي، أو اليمين الحاسمة، أو مبدأ الثبوت بالكتابة المعزز بطريق إثبات آخر؛ وذلك فيما لم
- Article 74
The Article provides that testimony is given orally and may be given in writing with the court's permission, and that the court may administer an oath to the witness when necessary and assess the effect of his refusal to swear.
1- تؤدى الشهادة شفاهاً. ويجوز أداؤها كتابة بإذن المحكمة. 2- يجوز للمحكمة تحليف الشاهد عند الاقتضاء، وإذا امتنع عن الحلف فتقدر المحكمة أثر ذلك.
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.