Article 33 of the Saudi Law of Legal Practice
المادة 33 من نظام المحاماة · الباب الثالث: تأديب المحامي
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 القرارات النهائية إلى المحاكم وديوان المظالم والجهات المختصة خلال خمسة عشر يوما من تاريخ نفاذها، ويتخذ لهذه القرارات سجل تقيد فيه، وتبلغ القرارات التأديبية في جميع الأحوال على يد محضر، ويقوم مقام التبليغ تسليم صورة القرار إلى المحامي صاحب الشأن بالطرق النظامية. وإذا أصبح القرار نهائيا بشطب الاسم من الجدول أو الإيقاف عن مزاولة المهنة، فينشر منطوقه فقط في صحيفة أو أكثر من الصحف الصادرة في منطقة مقر المحامي، فإن لم يكن هناك صحيفة في المنطقة ففي الصحيفة الصادرة في أقرب منطقة له، وذلك على نفقته.
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 33 explained in plain English
This Article regulates how a Disciplinary Committee decision is issued, and how it is notified and announced.
Issuing the decision:
- It is issued after hearing the accusation and the lawyer's defense.
- It must be reasoned, and its reasons must be read out in full when it is pronounced.
- It is pronounced in a closed session.
Notifying bodies and recording: The Ministry of Justice notifies the operative part of final decisions to the courts, the Board of Grievances and the competent bodies within 15 days from the date they take effect, and these decisions are entered in a special register.
Notifying the lawyer: Disciplinary decisions are in all cases notified through a process server, and handing a copy of the decision to the lawyer concerned by the legal means takes the place of that.
Publication: If the decision becomes final striking the name off the register or suspending from practice, only its operative part, without its reasons, is published in one or more of the newspapers published in the region of the lawyer's seat, and if there is no newspaper there, in the newspaper published in the nearest region to him, and the publication is at the lawyer's expense.
This Article complements Article 32, which requires the lawyer to be notified of the violation before the hearing and allows a decision in absentia, and Article 34, which allows objection to a decision in absentia within 15 days of its notification or of receiving a copy of it. To learn the effect of a particular decision, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in the laws regulating the legal profession.
Practical example
A final decision was issued suspending a lawyer based in Dammam from practicing the profession. The Ministry of Justice notifies the operative part of the decision to the courts, the Board of Grievances and the competent bodies within 15 days of its taking effect, and the operative part alone is published in a newspaper published in his region at his expense, without publishing the reasons for the decision.
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 33 of the Saudi Law of Legal Practice
Is a lawyer disciplinary decision pronounced in a public session?
No. The Article provides that the reasons of the decision are read out in full when it is pronounced in a closed session.
Is a decision striking off a lawyer published in newspapers?
Yes. If the decision of striking off or suspension becomes final, only its operative part is published in one or more newspapers in the region of the lawyer's seat, at his expense.
How is a lawyer notified of the disciplinary decision?
Through a process server, and handing a copy of the decision to him by the legal means takes the place of that.
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 31
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.
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 ق
- 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 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.