Article 10 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 10 من نظام القضاء
The article sets the seat of the Supreme Court in Riyadh, how its president and members are appointed, and how its circuits are formed from three judges, or five in the criminal circuit for death, amputation, stoning and retribution judgments.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1- يكون مقر المحكمة العليا مدينة الرياض.
2- يسمى رئيس المحكمة العليا بأمر ملكي ، وتكون درجته بمرتبة وزير ولا تنهى خدمته إلا بأمر ملكي ، ويشترط أن تتوافر فيه الشروط المطلوبة لشغل درجة رئيس محكمة استئناف . وعند غيابه ينوب عنه أقدم رؤساء دوائر المحكمة العليا .
3- تؤلف المحكمة العليا من رئيس وعدد كاف من القضاة بدرجة رئيس محكمة استئناف ، وتكون تسمية الأعضاء بأمر ملكي بناء على اقتراح المجلس الأعلى للقضاء .
4- مع عدم الإخلال بحكم المادة الثالثة عشرة من هذا النظام تباشر المحكمة العليا اختصاصاتها من خلال دوائر متخصصة بحسب الحاجة، تؤلف كل منها من ثلاثة قضاة باستثناء الدائرة الجزائية التي تنظر في الأحكام الصادرة بالقتل أو القطع أو الرجم أو القصاص في النفس أو فيما دونها، فإنها تؤلف من خمسة قضاة، ويكون لكل دائرة رئيس.
5- تكون تسمية رئيس كل دائرة من دوائر المحكمة العليا وأعضائها بقرار من المجلس الأعلى للقضاء بناءً على اقتراح رئيس المحكمة العليا .
6- يكون في المحكمة العليا عدد كاف من الموظفين من باحثين وفنيين وإداريين وكتاب ومسجلين وغيرهم بحسب الحاجة.
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 10 explained in plain English
This article regulates the Supreme Court, the first of the courts listed in Article 9 in the structure of the courts. Its provisions are as follows:
- Seat: the city of Riyadh.
- President: appointed by royal order, with the rank of minister, and his service ends only by royal order. He must meet the conditions required for the grade of president of an appeal court. In his absence, the most senior of the Supreme Court's circuit presidents acts for him.
- Composition: a president and a sufficient number of judges at the grade of president of an appeal court, with members appointed by royal order on the proposal of the Supreme Judicial Council.
- Circuits: the court exercises its jurisdiction through specialized circuits as needed, each made up of three judges, except the criminal circuit that hears judgments issued for death, amputation, stoning, or retribution for a life or for lesser injuries, which is made up of five judges. Each circuit has a president.
- The president and members of each circuit are appointed by a decision of the Supreme Judicial Council on the proposal of the president of the Supreme Court.
- The court has a sufficient number of staff, including researchers, technical and administrative staff, clerks, registrars and others.
Paragraph 4 refers to "without prejudice to Article 13", which establishes the General Assembly of the Supreme Court, chaired by the president of the court with all its judges as members. It lays down general principles on matters relating to the judiciary and considers the matters that the laws provide it should consider. The work of the circuits therefore does not displace the role of the General Assembly.
Raising the number of judges to five for the gravest judgments reflects the Law's concern for closer scrutiny of them.
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 10 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
Where is the Supreme Court of Saudi Arabia located?
Its seat is the city of Riyadh.
How many judges sit in a Supreme Court circuit?
Each circuit is made up of three judges, except the criminal circuit that hears judgments for death, amputation, stoning, or retribution for a life or for lesser injuries, which is made up of five judges.
How is the president of the Supreme Court appointed?
He is appointed by royal order with the rank of minister, and his service ends only by royal order. He must meet the conditions for the grade of president of an appeal court.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Supreme Court
- Article 11
The Supreme Court oversees the sound application of Sharia and the laws, by reviewing death, amputation, stoning and retribution judgments and other appeal judgments where an objection rests on specified grounds.
تتولى المحكمة العليا - بالإضافة إلى الاختصاصات المنصوص عليها في نظام المرافعات الشرعية ونظام الإجراءات الجزائية - مراقبة سلامة تطبيق أحكام الشريعة الإسلامية وما
- Article 12
Each Supreme Court circuit sits under its president with all its members present, and if one is absent the president of the court assigns a member of another circuit in his place.
تنعقد كل دائرة من دوائر المحكمة العليا برئاسة رئيسها وبحضور جميع أعضائها، فإن غاب أحدهم أو قام به مانع كلف رئيس المحكمة العليا بدلًا عنه أحد أعضاء الدوائر الأخر
- Article 13
The article establishes the General Assembly of the Supreme Court, made up of its president and all its judges, to lay down general principles, with a quorum of two thirds and final decisions by majority of those present.
1- يكون للمحكمة العليا هيئة عامة برئاسة رئيس المحكمة وعضوية جميع قضاتها. 2 - تتولى الهيئة العامة للمحكمة العليا ما يلي : أ - تقرير مبادئ عامة في المسائل المتعلق
- Article 14
If a circuit of the Supreme Court or of an appeal court wishes to depart from a principle the Supreme Court previously adopted, the matter goes to its president to refer to the General Assembly to decide.
إذا رأت إحدى دوائر المحكمة العليا - في شأن قضية تنظرها - العدول عن مبدأ سبق أن أخذت به أو أخذت به دائرة أخرى في المحكمة نفسها في قضايا سابقة، أو رأت إحدى دوائر
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.