Article 61 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 61 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب الخامس: إجراءات الجلسات ونظامها
The number of judges required by law must attend the pleading hearings; if short, the court president assigns someone to complete it, and if that is not possible the president of the Supreme Judicial Council does.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب أن يحضر جلسات المرافعة في القضية العدد اللازم نظامًا من القضاة، فإن لم يتوافر العدد اللازم فيكلف رئيس المحكمة أحد قضاتها لإكمال النصاب، فإن تعذر ذلك فيكلف رئيس المجلس الأعلى للقضاء من يكمل النصاب.
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 61 explained in plain English
This article concerns the composition of the court during pleading hearings, and ensures the case is heard by the number of judges the law requires.
The rule: the number required by law of judges must attend the pleading hearings in the case. The article does not specify this number, but refers to what the law provides for each type of case or circuit.
If the required number is not available: the article sets a graduated route to complete the quorum:
- The president of the court assigns one of the court's judges to complete the quorum.
- If that is not possible, the president of the Supreme Judicial Council assigns someone to complete the quorum.
The purpose is that cases not be held up because of the absence of a judge or a shortage in their number, while at the same time a case is not heard by a bench short of the number the law requires.
This article is procedural and organizational, concerning the court's internal work, and comes among the provisions on the procedures and order of hearings, including Article 62, which requires the recording clerk to prepare a daily list of claims.
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 61 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
What happens if the number of judges at the hearing is not complete?
The president of the court assigns one of its judges to complete the quorum, and if that is not possible the president of the Supreme Judicial Council assigns someone to complete the quorum.
How many judges must attend the hearing?
The article provides for the number required by law without specifying it; the reference is what the law provides.
More articles on Hearing Procedures
- Article 6
Article 6 requires a clerk to attend with the judge at hearings and in all case procedures to draft the record and sign it with him, and lets the judge do so himself if the clerk cannot attend.
يجب أن يحضر مع القاضي في الجلسات وفي جميـع إجراءات الدعوى كاتب يحرر محضر الجلسة ويوقعه مع القاضي، وإذا تعذرحضور الكاتب فللقاضي تولي الإجراء وتحرير المحضر.
- Article 23
The article makes Arabic the official language of the courts, requires hearing non-Arabic speakers through an interpreter, and requires an approved translation from a licensed office for foreign-language papers.
اللغة العربية هي اللغة الرسمية للمحاكم؛ وتسمع المحكمة أقوال الخصوم والشهود ونحوهم من غير الناطقين باللغة العربية عن طريق مترجم، وتقدم ترجمة معتمدة من مكتب مرخص
- 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 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.
- Article 59
Someone who attends thirty minutes before the set end of the hearing is not considered absent if the hearing has not convened, and someone who attends while the hearing is still in session is considered present.
في تطبيق الأحكام السابقة، لا يعد غائبًا- والجلسة لم تنعقد- من حضر قبل الموعد المحدد لانتهاء الجلسة بثلاثين دقيقة، على أنه إذا حضر والجلسة لا زالت منعقدة فيعد حا
- Article 62
The recording clerk prepares for each day a list of the claims scheduled, ordered by their hearing time, and it is announced, after being shown to the judge, on the board provided for it before the day of the hearings.
على كاتب الضبط أن يعد لكل يوم قائمة بالدعاوى التي تعرض فيه مرتبة حسب الوقت المعين لنظرها، وبعد عرض القائمة على القاضي تعلن في اللوحة المعدة لذلك قبل يوم الجلسات
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.