Article 21 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 21 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب الأول: أحكام عامة
Article 21 adds 60 days to the legal time limits for a person whose place of residence is outside the Kingdom, and allows the court, where necessary, to extend this by a similar period.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تضاف مدة ستين يومًا إلى المواعيد المنصوص عليها نظامًا لمن يكون مكان إقامته خارج المملكة، وللمحكمة عند الاقتضاء زيادتها مدة مماثلة.
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 21 explained in plain English
This article takes into account the difficulty faced by someone residing outside the Kingdom in taking steps within the ordinary time limits, so it gives him an additional period.
The basic rule: a period of 60 days is added to the time limits provided by law for a person whose place of residence is outside the Kingdom. This addition is established by the text of the Law.
The discretionary extension: the court may, where necessary, extend this period by a similar period, that is, another 60 days. This extension is a discretionary power of the court according to the need it sees, and it is not an automatic right.
The criterion the article relies on is the place of residence, not nationality; a Saudi residing outside the Kingdom benefits from it, and a non-Saudi residing inside it does not fall within its rule according to the text.
This article is connected to the method of calculating time limits in Article 22, which provides that the day of the announcement, or the day on which the event treated as starting the time limit occurred, is not counted, and that if the end of a time limit falls on an official holiday it extends to the first working day after it. Article 20 concerns notification inside the Kingdom outside the jurisdiction of the court.
Since the precise calculation of time limits can determine the fate of a step in the case, it is advisable to consult a lawyer specializing in procedure and litigation.
Practical example
For illustration: if the legal time limit for taking a certain step is 30 days, and Omar's place of residence is outside the Kingdom, 60 days are added to it, making it 90 days, and the court may, where necessary, extend it by another 60 days.
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 21 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
How many days are added to deadlines if I live outside Saudi Arabia?
A period of 60 days is added to the time limits provided by law.
Can the period be extended by more than 60 days?
Yes. The court may, where necessary, extend it by a similar period.
Does it depend on nationality or place of residence?
The text ties the addition to a person whose place of residence is outside the Kingdom.
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.