Article 19 of the Saudi Law of Legal Practice

المادة 19 من نظام المحاماة · الباب الثاني: واجبات المحامين وحقوقهم

The Article requires courts, the Board of Grievances, committees, official departments and investigating authorities to give a lawyer facilities, let him inspect papers and attend investigations, and bars refusing his requests without a legitimate reason.

Official text (Arabic)

This article has not been amended since the law was issued.

على المحاكم وديوان المظالم واللجان المشار إليها في المادة الأولى من هذا النظام، والدوائر الرسمية وسلطات التحقيق، أن تقدم للمحامي التسهيلات التي يقتضيها القيام بواجبه، وأن تمكنه من الاطلاع على الأوراق وحضور التحقيق. ولا يجوز رفض طلباته دون مسوغ مشروع.

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 19 explained in plain English

This Article gives a lawyer rights against the bodies he deals with in the course of his work, so that he can defend his client effectively.

The bodies bound:

The courts.
The Board of Grievances.
The committees referred to in Article 1 of the Law.
Official departments.
Investigating authorities.

What these bodies must do:

Give the lawyer the facilities required to carry out his duty.
Enable him to inspect the papers.
Enable him to attend the investigation.
Not refuse his requests without a legitimate reason.

The last phrase implies that refusing a lawyer's request is not absolutely prohibited, but must rest on a legitimate reason. The facilities required are also those "required to carry out his duty", that is, those connected to his work in the case.

The importance of the Article for a party to a case is that it ensures his lawyer can inspect the case file and attend the investigation, which affects the quality of his defense. The Article is connected to Article 18, which limits pleading for others to lawyers enrolled in the register of practicing lawyers with specific exceptions, and to Article 20, which requires the lawyer to submit his power of attorney at the first hearing. If your lawyer faces refusal of his requests and you want to understand your position, it would be best to consult a lawyer specializing in the laws regulating the legal profession.

Practical example

Saad was summoned for investigation in a complaint filed against him, and his lawyer attended with him. Under this Article, the investigating authority must let the lawyer attend the investigation and inspect the papers needed to carry out his duty, and his requests may not be refused without a legitimate reason.

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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