Article 19 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 19 من نظام القضاء
The general courts in the regions are made up of specialized circuits, including enforcement circuits, non-contentious proofs circuits and circuits for traffic accident and violation claims, each with a single judge or three judges.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تؤلف المحاكم العامة في المناطق من دوائر متخصصة، يكون من بينها دوائر للتنفيذ وللإثباتات الإنهائية وما في حكمها - الخارجة عن اختصاصات المحاكم الأخرى وكتابات العدل - وللفصل في الدعاوى الناشئة عن حوادث السير وعن المخالفات المنصوص عليها في نظام المرور ولائحته التنفيذية، وتكوًن كل دائرة فيها من قاض فرد أو ثلاثة قضاة، وفق ما يحدده المجلس الأعلى للقضاء .
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 19 explained in plain English
This article regulates the general courts in the regions. It provides that they are made up of specialized circuits, and names among them:
- Enforcement circuits.
- Circuits for non-contentious proofs and the like, provided that these are outside the jurisdiction of the other courts and the notaries. What falls within the jurisdiction of another court or of the notaries is not heard in these circuits.
- Circuits for deciding claims arising from traffic accidents and from the violations provided for in the Traffic Law and its Implementing Regulations.
The phrase "among them" means that these circuits are not all the circuits of the general court. They are examples the Law names expressly, and other circuits may exist.
As for composition, each circuit consists of a single judge or three judges, and the Supreme Judicial Council determines this. The article does not say which circuits are single-judge and which are three-judge.
This article concerns the general courts in the regions, and comes in the context of Article 18, which provides that first-instance courts are established in the regions, governorates and centers as needed. In practice, it helps a person with an enforcement case, a traffic accident or a request for a non-contentious proof to know that the general court is the competent court in the region, subject to the detailed jurisdiction rules in the procedural laws.
Practical example
Abdullah is involved in a traffic accident in Riyadh and his car is damaged, and he wants to claim compensation from the person who caused it. Under this article, the specialized circuits of the general court in the region include circuits for deciding claims arising from traffic accidents, and the circuit consists of a single judge or three judges as the Supreme Judicial Council determines.
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 19 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
Which court has jurisdiction over traffic accident cases?
Among the circuits of the general courts in the regions are circuits for deciding claims arising from traffic accidents and from the violations provided for in the Traffic Law and its Implementing Regulations.
Are enforcement circuits part of the general court?
Yes. The article provides that among the specialized circuits of the general courts in the regions are enforcement circuits.
How many judges sit in a general court circuit?
Each circuit consists of a single judge or three judges, as the Supreme Judicial Council determines.
More articles on Types of Courts and Circuits
- Article 9
The article sets the composition of the courts: the Supreme Court, courts of appeal, and general, criminal, personal status, commercial and labor first-instance courts.
تتكون المحاكم مما يلي: 1 - المحكمة العليا . 2 - محاكم الاستئناف . 3 - محاكم الدرجة الأولى ، وهي : أ - المحاكم العامة . ب - المحاكم الجزائية . ج - محاكم الأحوال
- Article 16
The article sets the circuits of the appeal courts: civil, criminal, personal status, commercial and labor.
دوائر محاكم الاستئناف هي : 1 - الدوائر الحقوقية 2 - الدوائر الجزائية 3 - دوائر الأحوال الشخصية 4 - الدوائر التجارية 5 - الدوائر العمالية .
- Article 18
First-instance courts are established in the regions, governorates and centers as needed.
تنشأ محاكم الدرجة الأولى في المناطق والمحافظات والمراكز بحسب الحاجة.
- Article 20
The criminal court has circuits for retribution and hudud, discretionary (ta'zir) cases, and juvenile cases. Each circuit has three judges, except cases the Supreme Judicial Council specifies, which a single judge hears.
تؤلف المحكمة الجزائية من دوائر متخصصة هي: أ - دوائر قضايا القصاص والحدود . ب - دوائر القضايا التعزيرية . ج - دوائر قضايا الأحداث . وتشكل كل دائرة من ثلاثة قضاة،
- Article 21
The personal status court consists of one or more circuits, each made up of one or more judges as the Supreme Judicial Council determines, and specialized circuits may be included.
تؤلف محكمة الأحوال الشخصية من دائرة أو أكثر، وتكوًن كل دائرة من قاضٍ فرد أو أكثر، وفق ما يحدده المجلس الأعلى للقضاء . ويجوز أن يكون من بينها دوائر متخصصة بحسب ا
- Article 22
The commercial court and the labor court consist of specialized circuits, each made up of one or more judges as the Supreme Judicial Council determines.
تؤلف المحكمة التجارية والمحكمة العمالية من دوائر متخصصة، وتكون كل دائرة من قاضٍ فرد أو أكثر، وفق ما يحدده المجلس الأعلى للقضاء .
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.