Article 31 of the Saudi Law of Legal Practice
المادة 31 من نظام المحاماة · الباب الثالث: تأديب المحامي
The Article establishes the Disciplinary Committee by decision of the Minister of Justice, sets its composition, members' terms and how it meets, and allows appeal of its decisions to the Board of Grievances within 60 days.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يشكل وزير العدل بقرار منه، لجنة أو أكثر للنظر في توقيع العقوبات التأديبية الواردة في المادة التاسعة والعشرين من هذا النظام، وتسمى (( لجنة التأديب )). وتكون من قاض واثنين من أهل الخبرة، أحدهما من فئة المحامين الذين أمضوا في ممارسة المهنة مدة لا تقل عن عشر سنوات. ويختار وزير العدل من بينهم رئيسا، وتكون العضوية في هذه اللجنة لمدة ثلاث سنوات قابلة للتجديد لمرة واحدة.
وتنعقد اللجنة بحضور جميع أعضائها وتصدر قراراتها بالأغلبية، وتكون قراراتها قابلة للطعن أمام ديوان المظالم خلال ستين يوما من تاريخ إبلاغ قرار العقوبة لمن صدر ضده.
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 31 explained in plain English
This Article identifies the body that hears the disciplinary punishment of a lawyer. The Minister of Justice forms by his decision one or more committees called the "Disciplinary Committee", whose task is to consider imposing the disciplinary penalties in Article 29 of the Law.
Composition of the committee:
- A judge.
- Two experienced persons, at least one of them a lawyer who has practiced the profession for not less than 10 years.
- The Minister of Justice chooses the chairman of the committee from among its members.
- Membership is for 3 years, renewable once only.
How it works: The committee meets only with all its members present, and issues its decisions by majority. This means that the absence of any member prevents it from meeting, and that the decision does not require the unanimity of the members.
Appealing the decision: The person against whom the penalty decision was issued may appeal it to the Board of Grievances within 60 days, and the period starts from the date he is notified of the decision, not the date it was issued. It is therefore important for the lawyer to know the date of his notification precisely.
This Article completes Article 30, under which the Minister of Justice issues the rules and procedures for detection, bringing the disciplinary case and hearing it, and Article 32, which regulates notifying the lawyer to appear before the committee. Anyone against whom a disciplinary decision has been issued and who wants to assess his position or appeal it would do best to consult a lawyer specializing in the laws regulating the legal profession.
Practical example
A lawyer in Jeddah was notified on the first of the month of the Disciplinary Committee's decision suspending him from practice. If he wants to appeal the decision, he must file his appeal with the Board of Grievances within 60 days counted from the date he was notified of the decision, and if he lets it pass without appealing he may lose this right.
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 31 of the Saudi Law of Legal Practice
Who forms the lawyers' Disciplinary Committee in Saudi Arabia?
The Minister of Justice forms it by his decision; it may be one committee or more, and the Minister chooses its chairman from among its members.
Who makes up the lawyers' Disciplinary Committee?
A judge and two experienced persons, one of them a lawyer who has practiced the profession for not less than 10 years.
How long is the period to appeal a lawyers' Disciplinary Committee decision?
60 days from the date the person against whom the penalty decision was issued is notified of it, and the appeal is before the Board of Grievances.
Can the Disciplinary Committee meet if one of its members is absent?
No. The Article requires the committee to meet with all its members present, and it issues its decisions by majority.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Lawyer Discipline and Penalties
- Article 29Amended (1443 AH)
The Article provides for striking off a lawyer and a foreign law office on conviction for a crime involving moral turpitude or dishonesty, and sets professional penalties: a warning, suspension up to 3 years, striking off, and a fine up to SAR 300,000.
1- يشطب اسم المحامي المرخص له من الجدول ويلغى ترخيصه إذا حكم عليه بعقوبة في جريمة مخلة بالشرف أو الأمانة. 2- يشطب مكتب المحاماة الأجنبي المرخص له من سجل مكاتب ا
- Article 30Amended (1443 AH)
The Article authorizes the Minister of Justice to issue rules and procedures for detection, bringing the disciplinary case and hearing it, in a manner suited to its nature.
يصدر وزير العدل قواعد وإجراءات الضبط ورفع الدعوى التأديبية ونظرها بما يتناسب مع طبيعتها
- Article 32
The Article requires the lawyer to be notified by official letter stating the violation and its evidence at least 15 days before the hearing, allows him to attend or appoint an agent, and permits a decision in absentia after he has been notified twice.
يُبلغ المحامي بالحضور أمام لجنة التأديب بخطاب رسمي، تبين فيه المخالفة المنسوبة إليه وأدلتها بإيجاز، وذلك قبل موعد الجلسة المحددة بمدة لا تقل عن خمسة عشر يوما. و
- Article 33
The Article requires the disciplinary decision to be reasoned and issued after hearing the accusation and the defense in a closed session, and regulates its notification, recording, and the publication of the operative part of a final striking-off or suspension decision at the lawyer's expense.
يصدر قرار لجنة التأديب بعد سماع الاتهام ودفاع المحامي، ويجب أن يكون القرار مسببا، وأن تتلى أسبابه كاملة عند النطق به في جلسة سرية، وتبلغ وزارة العدل منطوق القرا
- Article 34
The Article allows a lawyer to object to a disciplinary decision in absentia within 15 days of notification or receipt of a copy, with the objection submitted by him or his agent to the Disciplinary Committee through its chairman.
يجوز للمحامي أن يعترض على القرار الغيابي الذي يصدر بحقه خلال خمسة عشر يوما من تاريخ تبليغه أو تسلم صورة منه، ويقدم الاعتراض من المحامي أو وكيله إلى لجنة التأديب
- Article 35
This article moves a suspended lawyer to the list of non-practicing lawyers, bars him from opening his office, penalizes practice during suspension with removal and license cancellation, and leaves pending cases to rules issued by the Minister.
يترتب على الإيقاف عن مزاولة مهنة المحاماة نقل اسم المحامي الموقوف من جدول المحامين الممارسين إلى جدول المحامين غير الممارسين. ولا يجوز للمحامي الموقوف فتح مكتبه
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.