Article 144 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 144 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب التاسع: إجراءات الإثبات
The article requires the judge and clerk to sign the disputed paper to show they have seen it, and a record to be drawn up in the case record describing its condition, signed by the judge, the clerk and the parties.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب أن يوقع القاضي والكاتب على الورقة - محل النزاع - بما يفيد الاطلاع، ويُحرر محضر في الضبط تبين فيه حالة الورقة وأوصافها بيانًا كافيًا ويوقع عليه القاضي والكاتب والخصوم.
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 144 explained in plain English
This article sets a procedure that protects the disputed paper from any change after it is submitted, so that it stays as it was throughout the examination of the dispute over it.
First step: signing the paper. The judge and the clerk must sign the disputed paper to show that they have seen it.
Second step: a record describing the paper. A record is drawn up in the case record stating the condition and description of the paper sufficiently, and it is signed by:
- The judge.
- The clerk.
- The parties.
The text uses mandatory language, so these procedures are not left to the court's discretion.
The benefit of this procedure is that the condition of the paper is documented when its examination begins, so no one can later claim that the paper changed or that something was added to it, and the parties know what is recorded about its condition because they sign the record.
This article comes within the provisions on comparison: Article 143 provides that the comparison is made against what is established of the handwriting, signature, thumbprint or seal of the person to whom the paper is attributed, and Article 145 requires the parties to attend at the time the judge sets for submitting comparison papers.
A person who wants to verify that the procedures taken on a paper in his case were sound may consult a lawyer who specializes in litigation and court procedure.
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 144 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
Who signs the disputed paper?
The judge and the clerk sign it to show they have seen it.
Do the parties sign the record describing the paper?
Yes. The record is signed by the judge, the clerk and the parties.
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.