Article 21 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 21 من نظام القضاء
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.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
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 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 21 explained in plain English
This article regulates the personal status court, one of the first-instance courts, and contains three provisions:
- Number of circuits: the court consists of one or more circuits, so it may have a single circuit or several, as the case may be.
- Composition of a circuit: each circuit is made up of one or more judges, and the Supreme Judicial Council determines this.
- Specialized circuits: its circuits may include specialized circuits as needed. The article does not specify these specializations.
Note the difference between this article and Article 20 on the criminal court. There, the rule is that a circuit is made up of three judges and a single judge is the exception in cases the Council specifies. In the personal status court, a circuit is made up of one or more judges as the Council determines, and specialized circuits are permitted but not required.
Similar is what Article 22 provides for the commercial court and the labor court, which consist of specialized circuits, each made up of one or more judges as the Council determines.
The article regulates only the composition of the court. It does not specify the cases within its jurisdiction or the procedures for hearing them; for these, refer to the Law of Sharia Procedure and the related laws. Anyone with a personal status case should consult a lawyer specialized in personal status matters.
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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Active contributorFrequently asked questions about Article 21 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
How many judges sit in a personal status court circuit?
Each circuit is made up of one or more judges, as the Supreme Judicial Council determines.
Does the personal status court have specialized circuits?
Its circuits may include specialized circuits as needed.
Who determines the composition of personal status court circuits?
The Supreme Judicial Council.
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 19
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.
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
- 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 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.