Article 187 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 187 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب الحادي عشر: طرق الاعتراض على الأحكام
The article sets the period for objecting by appeal or review at thirty days, or ten days in urgent matters; the right lapses if it is missed and the judgment becomes final.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
مدة الاعتراض بطلب الاستئناف أو التدقيق ثلاثون يومًا، ويستثنى من ذلك الأحكام الصادرة في المسائل المستعجلة فتكون عشرة أيام. فإذا لم يقدم المعترض اعتراضه خلال هاتين المدتين سقط حقه في طلب الاستئناف أو التدقيق، وعلى الدائرة المختصة تدوين محضر بسقوط حق المعترض عند انتهاء مدة الاعتراض في ضبط القضية، والتهميش على صك الحكم وسجله بأن الحكم قد اكتسب القطعية، وذلك دون الإخلال بحكم الفقرة (4) من المادة (الخامسة والثمانين بعد المائة) من هذا النظام.
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 187 explained in plain English
This article sets the deadline within which an objection to a first-instance court judgment must be filed, whether by a request for appeal or a request for review:
- Thirty days is the general period for objecting.
- Ten days only for judgments issued in urgent matters.
If the objecting party does not file the objection within this period, the right is lost to request an appeal or a review. When the period ends, the article requires the competent circuit to do two things:
- Record in the case minutes that the objecting party's right has lapsed.
- Note on the judgment deed and its register that the judgment has become final.
The article expressly leaves intact paragraph (4) of Article 185. That paragraph lists cases in which the court must refer the judgment to the Court of Appeal for review, for example where the person against whom judgment was given is a waqf administrator, a guardian, a custodian, a representative of a government body or the like and did not request an appeal or file an objection memorandum within the period, or where the person against whom judgment was given was absent and could not be notified of the judgment, subject to the two exceptions stated in that paragraph. In these cases, the expiry of the period does not prevent the judgment from being referred for review.
Once the objection is filed within the period, Article 188 sets out how it is submitted: by a memorandum lodged with the administration of the court that issued the judgment. Because missing the deadline forfeits the right, a person against whom a judgment has been issued should act promptly and consult a lawyer who specializes in litigation and court procedure.
Practical example
A judgment was issued against Saad in a financial claim before a court in Jeddah, and it was not on an urgent matter. Saad has thirty days to file his objection. If he waits until the period ends, the circuit records in the minutes that his right has lapsed, and a note is made on the judgment deed that it has become final.
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 187 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
How long do I have to appeal a judgment?
Thirty days, except for judgments issued in urgent matters, for which the period is ten days.
What happens if the appeal period is missed?
The objecting party's right to request an appeal or review lapses, the circuit records this in the minutes, and a note is made on the judgment deed that it has become final.
Are there judgments that are referred for review even after the period has passed?
Yes. The article does not affect paragraph (4) of Article 185, which requires certain judgments to be referred to the Court of Appeal for review, such as judgments against a waqf administrator, guardian, custodian or government body representative in the cases it lists.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Appeal, Cassation and Petition for Reconsideration
- Article 95
A judge's work or judgment is void in the situations of bar in Article 94 even if done by agreement of the parties; if the voidness occurs in an affirmed judgment, a party may ask the Supreme Court to set it aside.
يقع باطلًا عمل القاضي أو قضاؤه في الأحوال المتقدمة في المادة (الرابعة والتسعين) من هذا النظام ولو تم باتفاق الخصوم. وإن وقع هذا البطلان في حكم مؤيد جاز للخصم أن
- Article 165
The article requires the court, after pronouncing the judgment, to inform the litigants of the means of objection and their time limits, and to inform guardians, custodians, endowment administrators and representatives of government bodies that the judgment must be appealed or reviewed.
يجب على المحكمة - بعد النطق بالحكم - إفهام الخصوم بطرق الاعتراض المقررة ومواعيدها. كما يجب عليها إفهام الأولياء والأوصياء والنظار وممثلي الأجهزة الحكومية ونحوهم
- Article 170
The article allows the court to which an objection is submitted to order a stay of provisional enforcement if it considers that the grounds of the objection may lead to the judgment being quashed and serious harm is feared from enforcement.
يجوز للمحكمة المرفوع إليها الاعتراض - متى رأت أن أسباب الاعتراض على الحكم قد تقضي بنقضه - أن تأمر بوقف التنفيذ المعجل إذا كان يخشى منه وقوع ضرر جسيم.
- Article 172
The article distinguishes between a refusal to correct, which is objected to together with the judgment itself, and a correction decision, which may be objected to independently.
إذا رفضت المحكمة التصحيح فيكون الاعتراض على ذلك مع الاعتراض على الحكم نفسه. أما القرار الذي يصدر بالتصحيح فيجوز الاعتراض عليه على استقلال بطرق الاعتراض الجائزة.
- Article 176
The article specifies three means of objection to judgments: appeal, cassation and petition for reconsideration.
طرق الاعتراض على الأحكام هي الاستئناف، والنقض، والتماس إعادة النظر.
- Article 177
The article limits the right to object to a judgment to the party against whom it was given or one who was not awarded all his claims, unless the Law provides otherwise.
لا يجوز أن يعترض على الحكم إلا المحكوم عليه، أو من لم يقض له بكل طلباته، ما لم ينص النظام على غير ذلك.
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.