Article 18 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 18 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب الأول: أحكام عامة
Article 18 provides that where a person to be notified under Article 17 (or his deputy) refuses to receive the copy or sign its original, the bailiff records the refusal and delivers the copy to the competent emirate or the body it designates, and the notice takes effect from delivery.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
في جميع الحالات المنصوص عليها في المادة (السابعة عشرة) من هذا النظام، إذا امتنع المراد تبليغه - أو مَنْ ينوب عنه - من تسلُّم الصورة أو من التوقيع على أصلها بالتسلّم، فعلى المحضر أن يثبت ذلك في الأصل والصورة، ويسلم الصورة للإمارة التي يقع في دائرة اختصاصها مكان إقامة الموجه إليه التبليغ أو الجهة التي تعينها الإمارة، وعلى المحضر كذلك أن يبين ذلك في حينه بالتفصيل في أصل التبليغ، ويعد التبليغ منتجًا لآثاره من وقت تسليم الصورة إلى من سلمت إليه.
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 18 explained in plain English
This article addresses the situation of refusing to receive a notice in the cases provided in Article 17, such as notifying government bodies, companies, military personnel, prisoners and others.
When it applies: if the person to be notified, or his deputy, refuses:
- To receive the copy, or
- To sign its original acknowledging receipt.
What the bailiff must do:
- Record the refusal on the original and the copy.
- Deliver the copy to the emirate within whose jurisdiction the place of residence of the person addressed falls, or the body the emirate designates.
- Record this at the time in detail on the original of the notice.
The effect: the notice is treated as having its effects from the time the copy is delivered to the person to whom it was delivered. In practice, this means that refusing to receive or sign does not stop the notice from taking effect.
This situation differs from that of Article 19, which concerns a person whose place of residence is outside the Kingdom, where the notice copy is sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be delivered through diplomatic channels.
If a body you represent refuses to receive a notice, it is important to know that this may not prevent its effect from taking place, and it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in procedure and litigation.
Practical example
A bailiff goes to serve a company in Dammam with a case filed against it, and the company's manager refuses to receive the copy and sign. The bailiff records this refusal on the original and the copy, delivers the copy to the competent emirate or the body it designates, and the notice is treated as having its effects from the time of its delivery.
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 18 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
What happens if a body or company refuses to receive a notice?
The bailiff records the refusal on the original and the copy and delivers the copy to the competent emirate or the body the emirate designates.
Does refusing to receive affect the validity of the notice?
The notice is treated as having its effects from the time the copy is delivered to the emirate or the body to which it was delivered.
To which cases does this article apply?
To all the cases provided in Article 17.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Notification and Deadlines
- Article 1
Article 1 provides that courts apply Sharia rulings as indicated by the Quran and the Sunnah and the regulations issued by the ruler that do not conflict with them, and follow the Law of Sharia Procedure in procedures.
تطبق المحاكم على القضايا المعروضة أمامها أحكام الشريعة الإسلامية، وفقًا لما دل عليه الكتاب والسنة، وما يصدره ولي الأمر من أنظمة لا تتعارض مع الكتاب والسنة، وتتق
- Article 2
Article 2 provides that every procedural step validly completed under a law in force remains valid, unless the Law of Sharia Procedure provides otherwise.
كل إجراء من إجراءات المرافعات تم صحيحًا في ظل نظام معمول به يبقى صحيحًا، ما لم ينص على غير ذلك في هذا النظام.
- Article 5
Article 5 provides that a procedure is void if the Law says so or if a defect defeats its purpose, but voidness is not ruled where the procedure's purpose was achieved despite an express provision.
يكون الإجراء باطلًا إذا نص النظام على بطلانه، أو شابه عيب تخلّف بسببه الغرض من الإجراء، ولا يحكم بالبطلان - برغم النص عليه - إذا ثبت تحقق الغاية من الإجراء.
- Article 7Amended (1442 AH)
Article 7 bars bailiffs, clerks and other court aides from performing work within their duties in cases concerning themselves, their spouses or their relatives or in-laws up to the fourth degree, on pain of voidness.
لايجوز للمحضرين ولا للكتبة وغيرهم من أعوان القضاء أن يباشروا عملاً يدخل في حدود وظائفهم في الدعاوى الخاصة بهم أو بأزواجهم أو بأقاربهم أو بأصهارهم حتى الدرجة الر
- Article 8
Article 8 provides that the periods and time limits in the Law of Sharia Procedure are calculated by the Umm al-Qura calendar, and that sunset ends each day.
تحسب المدد والمواعيد المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام حسب تقويم أم القرى. ويعد غروب شمس كل يوم نهايته.
- Article 9
Article 9 defines a person's place of residence as where he habitually lives (with special rules for nomadic Bedouins, detainees and prisoners), allows choosing a special place to receive notices, and requires telling the court of any change.
يقصد بمكان الإقامة في تطبيق أحكام هذا النظام المكان الذي يقطنه الشخص على وجه الاعتياد. وبالنسبة إلى البدو الرحل يعد مكان إقامة الشخص المكان الذي يقطنه عند إقامة
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.