Article 60 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 60 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب الرابع: حضور الخصوم وغيابهم والتوكيل في الخصومة
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 طلب المعارضة بمذكرة وفقًا للإجراءات المقررة لرفع الدعوى، على أن تتضمن المذكرة رقم الحكم المعارض عليه، وتاريخه، وأسباب المعارضة.
3- إذا غاب المعارض أو وكيله عن الجلسة الأولى لنظر المعارضة، فتحكم المحكمة من تلقاء نفسها بسقوط حقه في المعارضة، ويعد حكمها نهائيًا.
4- للمحكمة أن تأمر بوقف تنفيذ الحكم المعارض عليه مؤقتًا إذا طُلب ذلك في مذكرة المعارضة وكان يخشى من التنفيذ وقوع ضرر جسيم يتعذر تداركه.
5- يوقف نفاذ الحكم الغيابي إذا صدر حكم معارض للحكم الغيابي يقضي بإلغائه.
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 60 explained in plain English
This article regulates objection to a judgment given in absence, a means by which the person sentenced in his absence returns to the same court that gave the judgment to present his defense.
- Who objects, where and when: the person sentenced in his absence, before the court that gave the judgment, within the periods set for objection in this law, counted from the date he or his agent is notified of the judgment. The article does not specify these periods, but refers to the periods set in the law.
- How it is submitted: by a memorandum following the procedures set for filing a claim, containing the number and date of the judgment objected to and the grounds for the objection.
- The objector's absence: if the objector or his agent is absent from the first hearing of the objection, the court rules on its own motion that his right to object has lapsed, and its judgment is final.
- Interim stay of enforcement: the court may order enforcement of the judgment objected to to be stayed temporarily on two conditions: that this be requested in the objection memorandum, and that enforcement is feared to cause serious harm that cannot be remedied.
- The effect of annulment: the judgment given in absence ceases to be effective if a judgment is given on the objection annulling it.
Under this article, objection is available to the person sentenced in his absence, so it does not cover judgments the law treats as given in presence.
Because the objector's absence from the first hearing finally forfeits his right, anyone against whom a judgment has been given in his absence would do well to promptly consult a lawyer specializing in litigation and court procedure.
Practical example
A judgment in absence was given against Mazen to pay a sum of money, and he was notified of it. Within the objection period, Mazen submitted an objection memorandum to the court that gave the judgment, stating the number and date of the judgment and the grounds of his objection, and asked for enforcement to be temporarily stayed because he feared serious harm that could not be remedied. He must make sure to attend the first hearing, otherwise the court will rule that his right to object has lapsed.
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 60 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
How do I object to a judgment given against me in absence?
By submitting an objection memorandum to the court that gave the judgment, following the procedures for filing a claim, stating the number and date of the judgment and the grounds for the objection, within the periods set for objection in the law.
What happens if I am absent from the objection hearing?
If the objector or his agent is absent from the first hearing, the court rules on its own motion that his right to object has lapsed, and its judgment is final.
Can enforcement of the judgment given in absence be stayed during the objection?
The court may order it stayed temporarily if this is requested in the objection memorandum and enforcement is feared to cause serious harm that cannot be remedied.
More articles on Attendance and Absence of Parties
- Article 48
If the court has set a hearing for two litigants and they appear at a time other than the one set and ask for their dispute to be heard, the court must grant their request if possible.
إذا عينت المحكمة جلسة لشخصين متداعيين، ثم حضرا في غير الوقت المعين وطلبا النظر في خصومتهما، فعليها أن تجيب هذا الطلب إن أمكن.
- Article 49
Litigants attend on the day the case is heard in person or through a representative, and a representative who is an agent must be someone with the right to act as an agent under the law.
في اليوم المعين لنظر الدعوى يحضر الخصوم بأنفسهم أو مَنْ ينوب عنهم، فإذا كان النائب وكيلًا تعين كونه ممن له حق التوكل حسب النظام.
- Article 50
The article requires the agent to declare his attendance on behalf of his principal and file a certified copy of his power of attorney, allows proving the authorization at the hearing, and applies the filing duty to guardians, legal guardians and trustees.
يجب على الوكيل أن يقرر حضوره عن موكله، وأن يودع صورة مصدقة من وثيقة وكالته لدى الكاتب المختص. وللمحكمة أن ترخص للوكيل عند الضرورة بإيداع صورة الوثيقة في موعد تح
- Article 51
What an agent states in his principal's presence counts as the principal's own admission unless he denies it at the hearing, and in the principal's absence the agent has no power over serious acts such as admission, settlement and waiver without special authorization.
كل ما يقرره الوكيل في حضور الموكِّل يكون بمثابة ما يقرره الموكِّل نفسه، إلا إذا نفاه أثناء نظر القضية في الجلسة نفسها. وإذا لم يحضر الموكِّل فلا يصح من الوكيل ا
- Article 52
An agent's withdrawal or dismissal without the court's approval does not stop the proceedings, unless the principal informs his opponent of appointing another agent or of his intention to pursue the claim himself.
لا يحول اعتزال الوكيل أو عزلـه بغير موافقة المحكمة دون سير الإجراءات، إلا إذا أبلغ الموكِّل خصمه بتعيين وكيل آخر بدلًا من المعتزل أو المعزول، أو بعزمه على مباشر
- Article 53
If it appears to the court that the agent asks for extensions too often on the pretext of consulting his principal in order to stall, it may require the principal himself or another agent.
إذا ظهر للمحكمة من أحد الوكلاء كثرة الاستمهالات بحجة سؤال موكله بقصد المماطلة، فلها حق طلب الموكل بنفسه لإتمام المرافعة أو توكيل وكيل آخر.
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.