Article 66 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 66 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب الخامس: إجراءات الجلسات ونظامها
The article requires the judge to ask the claimant what is needed to settle the statement of his claim before questioning the defendant, and to dismiss the claim if the claimant cannot or refuses to settle it.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
على القاضي أن يسأل المدعي عما هو لازم لتحرير دعواه قبل استجواب المدعى عليه، وليس له السير فيها قبل ذلك، وإذا عجز المدعي عن تحريرها أو امتنع عن ذلك، فيحكم القاضي بصرف النظر عن الدعوى.
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 66 explained in plain English
This article sets a basic rule for the conduct of the hearing: the claim must be settled and clear before the defendant is asked to answer it. "Settling the claim" means the claimant states clearly what he is asking for and what is needed to understand his claim, so the judge and the opponent know the subject of the dispute.
The article sets three rules:
- A duty on the judge: to ask the claimant what is needed to settle his claim before questioning the defendant.
- No proceeding before settling: the judge may not go ahead with hearing the claim before it is settled.
- The effect of inability or refusal: if the claimant cannot settle his claim or refuses to, the judge rules to dismiss the claim.
This rule is consistent with Article 65, which makes the proceedings for hearing the claim and the pleading written while allowing the parties to be heard orally. The next stage in Article 67 can also be understood from it, since the defendant is asked for the right answer only to a settled claim.
In practice, the claimant should prepare his claim clearly: what he asks for, and on what basis. Anyone who has difficulty drafting his claim can seek the help of a lawyer specializing in litigation and Sharia procedure.
Practical example
Khaled filed a claim in Riyadh saying his neighbor "harmed him" without stating what he asks of the court. The judge asked him for his specific request and what is needed to understand his claim before questioning the neighbor, and when Khaled could not specify that, the judge ruled to dismiss the claim.
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 66 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
What does settling the claim mean?
It means the claimant states what is needed to understand his claim and what he asks for clearly, and the article requires the judge to ask him about that before questioning the defendant.
Does the judge question the defendant before the claim is settled?
No. The article provides that the judge may not proceed with the claim before asking the claimant what is needed to settle it.
What happens if the claimant cannot settle his claim?
If the claimant cannot settle his claim or refuses to, the judge rules to dismiss the claim.
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 61
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.
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 ر
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.