Article 87 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 87 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب السابع: وقف الخصومة وانقطاعها وتركها
If the court considers that its judgment on the merits depends on deciding another matter, it orders the case stayed, and the parties may ask to proceed once the reason for the stay ends.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
إذا رأت المحكمة تعليق حكمها في موضوع الدعوى على الفصل في مسألة أخرى يتوقف عليها الحكم، فتأمر بوقف الدعوى، وبمجرد زوال سبب التوقف يكون للخصوم طلب السير في 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 87 explained in plain English
This article regulates a stay of the case by court decision, sometimes called a suspensive stay.
When? If the court considers that its judgment on the merits of the case depends on deciding another matter, it makes its judgment contingent on that matter and orders the case stayed.
When does the case resume? As soon as the reason for the stay ends, the parties may ask to proceed with the case.
Note that the article sets no duration for this stay but ties it to the ending of its reason, and it makes resuming the case depend on a request from the parties. Whether the judgment depends on another matter is for the court to assess.
The difference between this stay and the stay in Article 86 is that the latter is by agreement of the parties and for no more than 6 months, whereas here the stay is by court decision and tied to its reason. Both differ from the interruption of the litigation regulated by Article 88, which occurs for reasons such as the death of one of the parties.
The practical meaning is that a person whose case has been stayed for this reason should follow the other matter, and when the reason for the stay ends, apply to proceed with his case. A lawyer specializing in litigation and Sharia procedure can help with this.
Practical example
Omar filed a case claiming his share of the income of a property, and the judgment depended on deciding the question of ownership of the property, which was being heard in another case. The court ordered Omar's case stayed, and after the ownership question was decided he applied to proceed with his case.
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 87 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
When does the court stay a case on its own?
When it considers that its judgment on the merits of the case depends on deciding another matter.
When does the case resume after being stayed?
As soon as the reason for the stay ends, the parties may ask to proceed with the case.
Does this stay have a fixed duration?
The article sets no duration; it ties resumption to the ending of the reason for the stay.
More articles on Stay, Interruption and Abandonment of a Case
- Article 55Amended (1441 AH)
If the claimant is absent from any hearing without an acceptable excuse the court may strike the claim, and it is treated as never filed if 60 days pass without a request to proceed or he does not attend after proceedings resume.
إذا لم يحضر المدعي أي جلسة من جلسات الدعوى ولم يتقدم بعذر تقبله المحكمة، فلها أن تقرر شطبها. فإذا انقضت (ستون) يوماً ولم يطلب المدعي السير فيها بعد شطبها، أو لم
- Article 86
A case may be stayed by the parties' agreement for no more than 6 months from the court's approval; if they do not resume within 10 days after the period ends, the plaintiff is deemed to have abandoned his case.
يجوز وقف الدعوى بناء على اتفاق الخصوم على عدم السير فيها مدة لا تزيد على ستة أشهر من تاريخ إقرار المحكمة اتفاقهم، ولا يكون لهذا الوقف أثر في أي موعد حتمي قد حدد
- Article 88
Proceedings are interrupted by the death of a party, loss of his capacity to litigate, or end of the capacity of his representative, unless the case is ready for judgment; the end of an agency does not interrupt them.
1- ما لم تكن الدعوى قد تهيأت للحكم في موضوعها، فإن سير الخصومة ينقطع بوفاة أحد الخصوم، أو بفقده أهلية الخصومة، أو بزوال صفة النيابة عمن كان يباشر الخصومة عنه، ع
- Article 89
A case is considered ready for judgment on its merits if the parties made their closing statements and requests in the pleading session before the reason for interruption arose.
تعد الدعوى مهيأة للحكم في موضوعها إذا أبدى الخصوم أقوالهم وطلباتهم الختامية في جلسة المرافعة قبل وجود سبب الانقطاع.
- Article 90
Interruption of the litigation stops all pleading deadlines running against the parties and invalidates all procedures carried out during the interruption.
يترتب على انقطاع الخصومة وقف جميع مواعيد المرافعات التي كانت جارية في حق الخصوم، وبطلان جميع الإجراءات التي تحصل أثناء الانقطاع.
- Article 91
A case interrupted is resumed at the request of a party by a summons properly notified to the successor of the person affected by the reason for interruption or to the other party, or by the successor's appearance at the set session.
يستأنف السير في الدعوى بناء على طلب أحد الخصوم بتكليف يبلغ حسب الأصول إلى من يخلف من قام به سبب الانقطاع، أو إلى الخصم الآخر. وكذلك يستأنف السير في الدعوى إذا ح
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.