Article 156 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 156 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب التاسع: إجراءات الإثبات
The article allows the judge to infer one or more presumptions from the case facts or from discussion with the parties or witnesses, to base his judgment on or to complete an incomplete piece of evidence.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز للقاضي أن يستنتج قرينة أو أكثر من وقائع الدعوى أو مناقشة الخصوم أو الشهود لتكون مستندًا لحكمه أو ليكمل بها دليلًا ناقصًا ثبت لديه ليُكوِّن بهما معًا اقتناعه بثبوت الحق لإصدار الحكم.
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 156 explained in plain English
This article deals with what is known as the judicial presumption, which is a conclusion the judge draws himself from the material of the case before him, not evidence that one of the parties presents directly.
The article specifies three sources for this inference:
- The facts of the case themselves as they appeared before him.
- Discussion with the parties and what goes on between them in the sessions.
- Discussion with the witnesses.
A presumption the judge infers, whether one or more, has one of two uses:
- It may be a basis for his judgment.
- He may use it to complete an incomplete piece of evidence established before him, so that his conviction that the right is established is formed from the incomplete evidence and the presumption together, and then he issues his judgment.
The article uses the word "may", meaning that inferring a presumption is a discretionary power of the judge, not a duty. On the other hand, a presumption does not remain conclusive against a party: Article 157 provides that each party may prove the opposite of the presumption the judge inferred, and in that case it loses its value as evidence.
What a party or witness says at the session may therefore affect the formation of the judge's conviction, and a person who believes that a presumption was inferred wrongly can seek to prove its opposite. To assess a particular position in a pending case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in litigation and court procedure.
Practical example
Ahmed filed a claim in Riyadh for an amount he lent to his friend, and he submitted a bank transfer that does not state the reason for the transfer. This transfer alone is incomplete evidence of the loan, but if it emerges from the discussion with both parties at the session that the amount was a loan, the judge may infer a presumption from that and use it to complete the incomplete evidence, so that his conviction that the right is established is formed.
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 156 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
May a judge rule on the basis of a presumption?
Yes. The article allows the judge to infer one or more presumptions to be a basis for his judgment, or to complete an incomplete piece of evidence established before him.
Where does the judge infer a presumption from?
From the facts of the case, or from discussion with the parties, or from discussion with the witnesses.
Can a presumption inferred by the judge be contested?
Yes. Under Article 157, each party may prove the opposite of the presumption, and then it loses its value as evidence.
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.