Article 35 of the Saudi Law of Legal Practice
المادة 35 من نظام المحاماة · الباب الثالث: تأديب المحامي
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 طوال مدة الإيقاف، وإذا خالف ذلك أو زاول مهنته خلال فترة الإيقاف، يعاقب بشطب اسمه من جدول المحامين وإلغاء الترخيص الصادر له بمزاولة المهنة. ويصدر وزير العدل بناء على اقتراح اللجنة المنصوص عليها في المادة الخامسة، القواعد الخاصة بما يتبع بشأن القضايا العالقة لدى المحامين الموقوفين.
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 35 explained in plain English
This article explains the consequences of the penalty of suspension from the practice of law.
Effects of suspension:
- The suspended lawyer's name is moved from the list of practicing lawyers to the list of non-practicing lawyers.
- He may not open his office for the whole period of the suspension.
Penalty for violation: If the suspended lawyer opens his office or practices during the suspension, he receives a penalty more severe than the suspension itself: removal of his name from the lawyers' list and cancellation of the license issued to him to practice. The article thus makes respect for the suspension a condition of staying in the profession.
Pending cases: A suspended lawyer may have unfinished cases. The article does not itself say what is to be done with them; instead it gives the Minister of Justice the power to issue the rules on this, on the proposal of the committee referred to in Article 5. Clients and lawyers should therefore refer to those rules to learn what happens to the cases.
This article is connected to Article 36, which allows a lawyer whose name has been removed to request reinstatement after 3 years from the date the removal decision takes effect. If you have a case with a lawyer who has been suspended, you can consult a lawyer specialized in the laws governing the legal profession to learn what the rules allow.
Practical example
A decision is issued suspending a lawyer in Riyadh from practice, and his name is moved to the list of non-practicing lawyers. If he kept receiving clients at his office during the suspension, he would expose himself to removal of his name from the lawyers' list and cancellation of his license.
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 35 of the Saudi Law of Legal Practice
May a suspended lawyer open his office?
No. He is barred from opening his office for the whole period of the suspension.
What is the penalty for a lawyer who practices while suspended?
His name is removed from the lawyers' list and the license issued to him to practice is cancelled.
What happens to a suspended lawyer's cases?
The Minister of Justice issues the rules on cases pending with suspended lawyers, on the proposal of the committee referred to in Article 5; the article does not detail them.
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 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 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
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.