Article 69 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 69 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب الخامس: إجراءات الجلسات ونظامها
Pleadings close as soon as the parties finish, but before pronouncing judgment the court may reopen them and return the case to the session roll for acceptable reasons.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يقفل باب المرافعة بمجرد انتهاء الخصوم من مرافعتهم، ومع ذلك فللمحكمة قبل النطق بالحكم أن تقرر - من تلقاء نفسها أو بناء على طلب أحد الخصوم - فتح باب المرافعة وإعادة قيد الدعوى في جدول الجلسات، وذلك لأسباب مقبولة.
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 69 explained in plain English
This article sets when the pleadings stage ends and when it can be returned to.
The rule: pleadings close as soon as the parties finish their pleadings, that is, after each party has presented what he has.
The exception: the court may decide to reopen the pleadings and return the case to the session roll, on these conditions:
- This must be before the judgment is pronounced.
- It must be for acceptable reasons.
- The court may do so on its own initiative or at the request of one of the parties.
The importance of closing the pleadings appears in other articles of this chapter: Article 81 does not accept intervention in the case after the pleadings have closed, and Article 82 does not accept incidental claims after that. A party should therefore present everything he has before he finishes his pleading.
Anyone who has a reason that he believes calls for reopening the pleadings before the judgment is issued can ask the court to do so, and the decision rests with the court depending on whether the reason is acceptable. Consulting a lawyer specializing in litigation and Sharia procedure helps here.
Practical example
Pleadings ended in a case between Noura and a tenant in Riyadh, and a date was set for pronouncing judgment. Before that date Noura found a contract related to the dispute and applied to reopen the pleadings. The court decided to return the case to the session roll because it found the reason acceptable.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentA question about Article 69 of Law of Sharia Procedure?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
Civil Litigation & Compensation lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
Civil Litigation & Compensation lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Dr. Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office and Ittihad Al-Asr Legal Company
Active contributor
Unwan Law Firm
Frequently asked questions about Article 69 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
When do pleadings close?
They close as soon as the parties finish their pleadings.
Can pleadings be reopened after they close?
Yes. Before pronouncing judgment, the court may decide to reopen them on its own or at a party's request, for acceptable reasons.
What is the effect of closing the pleadings?
Among its effects under Articles 81 and 82, intervention in the case and incidental claims are no longer accepted afterwards.
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.