Article 201 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 201 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب الحادي عشر: طرق الاعتراض على الأحكام
The article sets the period for a petition for reconsideration at thirty days, and explains when it starts to run according to the ground of the petition stated in Article 200.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
مدة التماس إعادة النظر ثلاثون يومًا، تبدأ من اليوم الذي يثبت فيه علم الملتمس بتزوير الأوراق أو القضاء بأن الشهادة زور أو ظهرت فيه الأوراق المنصوص عليها في الفقرة ( ب ) من المادة (المائتين) من هذا النظام أو ظهر فيه الغش، ويبدأ الموعد في الحالات المنصوص عليها في الفقرات (د، هـ، و، ز) من المادة (المائتين) من هذا النظام من وقت إبلاغ الحكم، ويبدأ الموعد بالنسبة إلى الفقرة (2) من المادة (المائتين) من هذا النظام من تاريخ العلم بالحكم.
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 201 explained in plain English
This article sets the period for a petition for reconsideration at thirty days, but the starting point for counting it differs according to the ground of the petition from among those in Article 200:
- Forgery of papers or false testimony (paragraph a): the period starts from the day on which the petitioner's knowledge of the forgery of the papers, or of the ruling that the testimony was false, is established.
- Decisive papers (paragraph b): it starts from the day these papers were discovered.
- Fraud (paragraph c): it starts from the day the fraud came to light.
- A judgment awarding what was not requested or more than was requested, a self-contradictory operative part, a judgment in absentia, and improper representation (paragraphs d, e, f, g): it starts from the time the judgment is notified.
- A person against whom the judgment is binding who was not a party (paragraph 2 of Article 200): it starts from the date of learning of the judgment.
After setting the period, Article 202 explains that the petition is brought by a statement of claim lodged with the court that issued the judgment, and sets out its contents.
What this means in practice: someone who discovers a ground for a petition must determine the day on which its period starts, and then file the petition within thirty days of it. Because proving the date of knowledge may be contested, it is advisable to consult a lawyer who specializes in litigation and court procedure without delay.
Practical example
A judgment in absentia was issued against Tariq in a financial dispute. If he wants to petition for reconsideration, the thirty days start from the time he is notified of the judgment. But if his ground is that he later discovered that a document on which the judgment was based was forged, the period starts from the day his knowledge of the forgery is established.
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 201 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
How long is the period for a petition for reconsideration?
Thirty days, and the starting point for counting it differs according to the ground of the petition.
When does the petition period start for a judgment in absentia?
It starts from the time the judgment is notified.
When does the period start if forgery comes to light after the judgment?
From the day on which the petitioner's knowledge of the forgery of the papers, or of the ruling that the testimony was false, is established.
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.