Article 37 of the Saudi Law of Legal Practice
المادة 37 من نظام المحاماة · الباب الثالث: تأديب المحامي
The article punishes a person who impersonates a lawyer or practices law contrary to the Law, and a removed lawyer who practices, with imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of not less than SAR 30,000, or both.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تزيد على سنة أو بغرامة لا تقل عن ثلاثين ألف ريال، أو بهما معا :
أ - الشخص الذي انتحل صفة المحامي أو مارس مهنة المحاماة خلافا لأحكام هذا النظام.
ب - المحامي الذي مارس مهنة المحاماة بعد شطب اسمه من جدول المحامين .
ويتم توقيع هذه العقوبات من القضاء المختص.
ويجوز تضمين الحكم الصادر بتحديد العقوبة النص على نشر ملخصه على نفقة المحكوم عليه في صحيفة أو أكثر من الصحف المحلية أو في أي وسيلة أخرى مناسبة، وذلك بحسب نوع الجريمة أو المخالفة المرتكبة وجسامتها وتأثيرها، على أن يكون النشر بعد اكتساب الحكم الصفة القطعية
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 37 explained in plain English
This article protects people from dealing with someone who is not legally qualified to represent them, by making unlawful practice of law an offense punished by the courts.
Who is covered by the penalty:
- (a) A person who impersonated a lawyer or practiced law contrary to the provisions of this Law.
- (b) A lawyer who practiced the profession after his name was removed from the lawyers' list.
The penalty: Imprisonment of up to one year, or a fine of not less than SAR 30,000, or both. These penalties are imposed by the competent judiciary, not by the disciplinary committee.
Publication of the judgment: The judgment imposing the penalty may include an order to publish a summary of it, at the convicted person's expense, in one or more local newspapers or by any other appropriate means, depending on the type of the crime or violation, its seriousness and its impact, provided the publication takes place after the judgment becomes final. This paragraph was added by Royal Decree No. (M/61) dated 14/10/1437 AH.
Paragraph (b) is connected to Article 36, which lets a removed lawyer request reinstatement after 3 years from the date the removal decision takes effect; that is the route back, whereas practicing after removal exposes the person to this penalty. Anyone harmed by a person who claimed to be a lawyer, or anyone accused under this article, would do well to consult a lawyer specialized in criminal cases.
Practical example
Saad dealt with a person in Riyadh who presented himself as a lawyer and charged him a fee to plead on his behalf, and it then turned out that the person was not licensed. This act falls under paragraph (a), and the competent judiciary may punish him with imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of not less than SAR 30,000, or both, and may order a summary of the judgment published at his expense once it becomes final.
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 37 of the Saudi Law of Legal Practice
What is the penalty for impersonating a lawyer in Saudi Arabia?
Imprisonment of up to one year, or a fine of not less than SAR 30,000, or both, imposed by the competent judiciary.
What is the penalty for a lawyer who practices after his name is removed?
The same penalty: imprisonment of up to one year or a fine of not less than SAR 30,000, or both.
Can someone who practices law without a license be publicly named?
The judgment may include publication of a summary of it at the convicted person's expense in local newspapers or another appropriate means, after the judgment becomes final.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/61 — 14/10/1437 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
تم تعديل هذه المادة بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/ 61) وتاريخ 14/ 10 / 1437هـ، وذلك بإضافة النص الآتي إلى عجزها :
"ويجوز تضمين الحكم الصادر بتحديد العقوبة النص على نشر ملخصه على نفقة المحكوم عليه في صحيفة أو أكثر من الصحف المحلية أو في أي وسيلة أخرى مناسبة، وذلك بحسب نوع الجريمة أو المخالفة المرتكبة وجسامتها وتأثيرها، على أن يكون النشر بعد اكتساب الحكم الصفة القطعية".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يعاقب بالسجن مدة لا تزيد على سنة أو بغرامة لا تقل عن ثلاثين ألف ريال، أو بهما معا :
أ - الشخص الذي انتحل صفة المحامي أو مارس مهنة المحاماة خلافا لأحكام هذا النظام.
ب - المحامي الذي مارس مهنة المحاماة بعد شطب اسمه من جدول المحامين .
ويتم توقيع هذه العقوبات من القضاء المختص.
More articles on Exclusive Right of Representation and Unlicensed Practice
- Article 1
The Article defines the legal profession as pleading for others before the courts, the Board of Grievances and competent committees, and giving Sharia and legal consultations, and confirms every person's right to plead for himself.
يقصد بمهنة المحاماة في هذا النظام: الترافع عن الغير أمام المحاكم وديوان المظالم ، واللجان المشكلة بموجب الأنظمة والأوامر والقرارات لنظر القضايا الداخلة في اختصا
- Article 18Amended by M/21
The Article limits pleading for others to lawyers enrolled in the register of practicing lawyers, with exceptions for a spouse, in-law or relative up to the fourth degree, the legal representative, the guardian, the waqf supervisor and the Bayt al-Mal officer.
للمحامين المقيدين في جدول الممارسين دون غيرهم، حق الترافع عن الغير أمام المحاكم أو ديوان المظالم، أو اللجان المشار إليها في المادة (الأولى) من هذا النظام، واستث
- 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
- Article 51Amended (1445 AH)
The article sets the scope of a foreign firm's work: a professional company may do all work of the profession with pleading limited to a practicing Saudi lawyer, while a branch is limited to five types of work.
1- يجوز أن يزاول مكتب المحاماة الأجنبي المرخص له بمزاولة مهنة المحاماة في المملكة، الذي يتخذ الشكل الوارد في الفقرة (1) من المادة (الخمسين) من هذا النظام؛ جميع
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.