Article 162 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 162 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب العاشر: الأحكام
The article regulates the issuance of a judgment by several judges, unanimously or by majority, the recording of the minority's opinion and the response to it, and the method of tipping the balance where no majority emerges.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا نظـر القضية عدد من القضاة، فيصدر الحكم بالإجماع أو بأغلبية الآراء، وعلى الأقلية أن تسجل رأيها أولًا في ضبط القضية، وعلى الأكثرية أن توضح وجهة نظرها في الرد على رأي الأقلية في الضبط، فإن لم تتوافر الأغلبية أو تشعبت الآراء إلى أكثر من رأيين، فيكلف رئيس المحكمة أحد قضاتها لترجيح أحد الآراء حتى تحصل الأغلبية في الحكم، فإن تعذر ذلك فيكلف رئيس المجلس الأعلى للقضاء أحد القضاة لهذا الشأن.
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 162 explained in plain English
This article deals with a case heard by several judges and explains how the judgment is issued among them.
- How the judgment is issued: it is issued unanimously or by majority of opinions.
- The minority's opinion: the minority must first record its opinion in the case record.
- The majority's response: the majority must set out in the record its view in response to the minority's opinion.
- If no majority is reached or opinions divide into more than two: the president of the court assigns one of its judges to tip the balance toward one of the opinions until a majority is reached.
- If that is not possible: the president of the Supreme Judicial Council assigns a judge for this purpose.
The case record thus bears witness to any difference of opinion, since the minority's opinion and the response to it are written down, so the disagreement does not remain without a written trace.
This article relates to Article 161, which prevents the court during deliberation from hearing one litigant except in the presence of the other, and to Article 163, which requires that, once the judgment is reached, it be recorded in the record of pleading preceded by its reasons and signed by the judge or judges who took part in hearing the case.
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 162 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
Is the unanimity of the judges required for a judgment to be issued?
No. The judgment is issued unanimously or by majority of opinions.
What happens to the dissenting judge's opinion?
The minority must first record its opinion in the case record, and the majority must set out in the record its response to it.
What if no majority is reached among the judges?
The president of the court assigns one of its judges to tip the balance toward one of the opinions, and if that is not possible, the president of the Supreme Judicial Council assigns a judge for this purpose.
More articles on Issuing the Judgment
- Article 56Amended (1441 AH)
If the claimant is absent from the hearings under Article 55, the defendant may ask for judgment on the substance of the claim; the court rules if the claim is ready for judgment, and its judgment counts as given in the claimant's presence.
إذا لم يحضر المدعي جلسات الدعوى - وفقاً لما ورد في المادة (الخامسة والخمسين) من هذا النظام - فللمدعى عليه أن يطلب من المحكمة الحكم في موضوعها، وعلى المحكمة أن ت
- Article 57
The article explains the effect of the defendant's absence and when a judgment against him is in his absence or in his presence, and allows compelling his attendance in marital, custody, maintenance, visitation and guardians' refusal-to-marry matters.
1- إذا غاب المدعى عليه عن الجلسة الأولى ولم يكن تبلغ لشخصه أو وكيله في الدعوى نفسها، فيؤجل النظر في الدعوى إلى جلسة لاحقة يبلغ بها المدعى عليه، فإن غاب عن هذه ا
- Article 60
The article allows a person sentenced in his absence to object to the judgment before the court that issued it within the objection periods, and regulates the objection memorandum, the effect of his absence and stay of enforcement.
1- يكون للمحكوم عليه غيابيًا - خلال المدد المقررة للاعتراض في هذا النظام - المعارضة على الحكم لدى المحكمة التي أصدرته، من تاريخ إبلاغه أو وكيله بالحكم. 2- يقدم
- Article 69
Pleadings close as soon as the parties finish, but before pronouncing judgment the court may reopen them and return the case to the session roll for acceptable reasons.
يقفل باب المرافعة بمجرد انتهاء الخصوم من مرافعتهم، ومع ذلك فللمحكمة قبل النطق بالحكم أن تقرر - من تلقاء نفسها أو بناء على طلب أحد الخصوم - فتح باب المرافعة وإعا
- Article 70
At any stage of the case the parties may ask to have what they agreed on, such as an admission or settlement, recorded in the case record, and the court must issue a deed to that effect.
للخصوم أن يطلبوا من المحكمة في أي حال تكون عليها الدعوى تدوين ما اتفقوا عليه من إقرار أو صلح أو غير ذلك في محضر الدعوى، وعلى المحكمة إصدار صك بذلك.
- Article 77
The court rules on the defenses in Articles 75 and 76 separately, unless it decides to join them to the merits of the case, in which case it states what it ruled on each defense and on the merits.
تحكم المحكمة في الدفوع المنصوص عليها في المادتين (الخامسة والسبعين والسادسة والسبعين) من هذا النظام على استقلال، ما لم تقرر ضمها إلى موضوع الدعوى، وعندئذ تبيّن
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.