Article 118 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 118 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب التاسع: إجراءات الإثبات
The court, and the assigned or delegated judge for an inspection, may appoint one or more experts to assist in the inspection and may hear witnesses they see fit at the site of the dispute.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
للمحكمة وللقاضي المكلف أو المستخلف للمعاينة تعيين خبير أو أكثر للاستعانة به في المعاينة، ولها وللقاضي المكلف أو المستخلف سماع من يرون سماع شهادته من الشهود في موضع النزاع.
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 118 explained in plain English
An inspection may require technical knowledge, such as that of an engineer or surveyor, or hearing people who know the site. This article therefore grants two powers to each of:
- The court.
- The judge assigned to the inspection.
- The judge delegated for the inspection.
The first power: appointing experts
They may appoint one or more experts to assist in the inspection, to give his technical opinion on what is being inspected.
The second power: hearing witnesses at the site
They may hear the witnesses they see fit to hear at the site of the dispute itself, without needing to move them to the court.
The article permits this and does not require it; the matter is left to the assessment of the court or the judge according to the needs of the case.
This article is linked to Article 117, which requires inviting the parties to the inspection at least twenty-four hours before the date, excluding travel time, and to Article 119, which requires drawing up a record of the inspection result signed by the inspector, the clerk and those of the experts, witnesses and parties who attended, and entering it in the case record. If your case needs a technical opinion, you can consult a lawyer specializing in pleadings and litigation before the courts to learn how to request it.
Practical example
In a dispute between a building owner in Riyadh and a contractor over defects in construction, the judge went to inspect the building, appointed an engineer as an expert to assist him, and heard the testimony of the building's guard at the site.
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 118 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
Can the court use an expert in an inspection?
Yes. The court, and the assigned or delegated judge, may appoint one or more experts to assist in the inspection.
Can witnesses be heard at the site of the dispute?
Yes. The court, and the assigned or delegated judge, may hear the witnesses they see fit to hear at the site of the dispute.
More articles on Evidence Procedures
- Article 23
The article makes Arabic the official language of the courts, requires hearing non-Arabic speakers through an interpreter, and requires an approved translation from a licensed office for foreign-language papers.
اللغة العربية هي اللغة الرسمية للمحاكم؛ وتسمع المحكمة أقوال الخصوم والشهود ونحوهم من غير الناطقين باللغة العربية عن طريق مترجم، وتقدم ترجمة معتمدة من مكتب مرخص
- Article 67
If a defendant refuses to answer, or answers with something unrelated to the claim, the judge repeats the request for a proper answer three times in the same session; if the defendant persists, he treats them as refusing to answer after a warning.
إذا امتنع المدعى عليه عن الجواب كليًّا، أو أجاب بجواب غير ملاق للدعوى؛ كرر عليه القاضي طلب الجواب الصحيح ثلاثًا في الجلسة نفسها، فإذا أصر على ذلك عدّه ناكلًا بع
- Article 74
The presiding judge puts the questions to the parties, witnesses and others; members and parties may ask him to put their questions, and he may delegate this to a member.
رئيس الجلسة هو الذي يتولى توجيه الأسئلة إلى الخصوم والشهود وغيرهم ممن له صلة بالدعوى، ولأعضاء الدائرة المشتركين معه في الجلسة والخصوم أن يطلبوا منه توجيه ما يري
- Article 101
The article requires that facts to be proved during pleadings be related to the case, material to it, and admissible.
يجب أن تكون الوقائع المراد إثباتها أثناء المرافعة متعلقة بالدعوى منتجة فيها جائزًا قبولها.
- Article 102
If a party's evidence is in a place outside the court's jurisdiction, the court must delegate the judge of that place to hear and vet the evidence.
إذا كانت بينة أحد الخصوم في مكان خارج عن نطاق اختصاص المحكمة، فعليها أن تستخلف القاضي الذي يقع ذلك المكان في نطاق اختصاصه لسماع تلك البينة وتعديلها.
- Article 103
The court may withdraw from evidentiary procedures it ordered, provided it states the reasons in the record, and may decline to adopt a procedure's result, provided it states the reasons in its judgment.
للمحكمة أن تعدل عما أمرت به من إجراءات الإثبات، بشرط أن تبين أسباب العدول في الضبط. ويجوز لها كذلك ألا تأخذ بنتيجة الإجراء، بشرط أن تبين أسباب ذلك في حكمها.
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.

