Article 97 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
المادة 97 من نظام المرافعات الشرعية · الباب الثامن: تنحي القضاة وردهم عن الحكم
A judge may not refrain from deciding a case before him except where he is barred from hearing it or a ground for recusal exists, and he must inform his direct superior to be permitted to step aside and have it recorded.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
لا يجوز للقاضي الامتناع من القضاء في قضية معروضة عليه، إلا إذا كان ممنوعًا من نظرها أو قام به سبب للرد. وعليه أن يخبر مرجعه المباشر للإذن له بالتنحي، ويثبت هذا كله في محضر خاص يحفظ في المحكمة.
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 97 explained in plain English
The rule in this article is that a judge may not refrain from deciding a case before him; the people's right to litigate requires that a judge not refuse to hear cases without justification.
The article excepts only two situations:
- The judge is barred from hearing it.
- A ground for recusal exists in him, including the grounds listed in Article 96, such as a dispute, enmity or affection with one of the parties, or receiving a gift from him.
Even in these two situations the judge does not simply step aside on his own; he must:
- Inform his direct superior so that he permits him to step aside.
- Have all of this recorded in a special record kept at the court.
In this way the Law combines two things: preventing the judge from evading cases, and enabling him to stay away from a case in which his impartiality may be affected. Article 98 explains that if a ground for recusal exists in the judge and he does not step aside, a party may ask for his recusal himself. Anyone who wants to know the options open to him in his case can consult a lawyer specializing in pleadings and litigation before the courts.
Practical example
A judge in Dammam was presented with a case in which one of the parties was a person with whom the judge has an enmity such that it is likely he cannot be impartial. The judge does not simply leave the case; he informs his direct superior so that he permits him to step aside, and this is recorded in a special record kept at the court.
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 97 of the Saudi Law of Sharia Procedure
Is a judge entitled to refuse to hear a case?
He may not refrain unless he is barred from hearing it or a ground for recusal exists in him.
How does a judge step aside from a case?
He informs his direct superior so that he permits him to step aside, and this is recorded in a special record kept at the court.
What do I do if a ground for recusal exists in the judge and he does not step aside?
Article 98 permits a party in this situation to ask for the judge's recusal.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Recusal and Withdrawal of Judges
- Article 7Amended (1442 AH)
Article 7 bars bailiffs, clerks and other court aides from performing work within their duties in cases concerning themselves, their spouses or their relatives or in-laws up to the fourth degree, on pain of voidness.
لايجوز للمحضرين ولا للكتبة وغيرهم من أعوان القضاء أن يباشروا عملاً يدخل في حدود وظائفهم في الدعاوى الخاصة بهم أو بأزواجهم أو بأقاربهم أو بأصهارهم حتى الدرجة الر
- Article 94
A judge is barred from hearing a case, even if no party asks, in specified situations such as relationship or marriage ties to the fourth degree, an existing dispute, agency, interest, and prior fatwa or involvement in the case.
يكون القاضي ممنوعًا من نظر الدعوى وسماعها ولو لم يطلب ذلك أحد الخصوم في الأحوال الآتية: أ - إذا كان زوجًا لأحد الخصوم أو كان قريبًا أو صهرًا له إلى الدرجة الراب
- Article 95
A judge's work or judgment is void in the situations of bar in Article 94 even if done by agreement of the parties; if the voidness occurs in an affirmed judgment, a party may ask the Supreme Court to set it aside.
يقع باطلًا عمل القاضي أو قضاؤه في الأحوال المتقدمة في المادة (الرابعة والتسعين) من هذا النظام ولو تم باتفاق الخصوم. وإن وقع هذا البطلان في حكم مؤيد جاز للخصم أن
- Article 96
The article sets the grounds on which a judge may be recused from hearing a case, and provides that filing a recusal request stays the case until it is decided.
1- يجوز رد القاضي لأحد الأسباب الآتية: أ - إذا كان له أو لزوجته دعوى مماثلة للدعوى التي ينظرها. ب - إذا حدث له أو لزوجته خصومة مع أحد الخصوم أو مع زوجته بعد قيا
- Article 98
Article 98 permits a party to ask for a judge's recusal if a ground exists and he has not stepped aside, and sets when the request must be made and when the right is lost.
إذا قام بالقاضي سبب للرد ولم يتنح جاز للخصم طلب رده، فإن لم يكن سبب الرد من الأسباب المنصوص عليها في المادة (السادسة والتسعين) من هذا النظام، وجب تقديم طلب الرد
- Article 99
The article sets the form of a recusal request: a signed report deposited with the court administration, stating the grounds and accompanied by supporting papers.
يقدم طلب الرد بتقرير يودع في إدارة المحكمة موقعًا من طالب الرد، ويجب أن يشمل تقرير الرد أسبابه، وأن يرافقه ما يوجد من الأوراق المؤيدة له.
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.