Article 23 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 23 من نظام القضاء
The general court in a governorate or center consists of one or more circuits, specialized circuits may be established where there are no specialized courts, and the Council specifies the cases for a single judge.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
تؤلف المحكمة العامة في المحافظة أو المركز من دائرة أو أكثر، وتكون كل دائرة من قاضٍ فرد أو أكثر، وفق ما يحدده المجلس الأعلى للقضاء . ويجوز إنشاء دوائر متخصصة جزائية وتجارية وعمالية وأحوال شخصية في المحاكم العامة الواقعة في المراكز والمحافظات التي لم تنشأ فيها محاكم متخصصة، متى دعت الحاجة إلى ذلك، ويكون لهذه الدوائر اختصاصات المحاكم المتخصصة.
ويحدد المجلس الأعلى للقضاء القضايا التي تختص بنظرها المحكمة العامة المكونة من قاضٍ فرد.
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 23 explained in plain English
This article regulates the general court in a governorate or center, which differs from the general courts in the regions regulated by Article 19. Its provisions are:
- Composition: it consists of one or more circuits, and each circuit is made up of one or more judges, as the Supreme Judicial Council determines.
- Specialized circuits: specialized criminal, commercial, labor and personal status circuits may be established in the general courts located in the centers and governorates, on two conditions:
- that no specialized courts have been established there.
- that need arises.
- Jurisdiction of these circuits: they have the jurisdiction of the specialized courts, so a labor circuit in a general court, for example, hears what the labor court hears.
- Single judge: the Supreme Judicial Council specifies the cases that a general court made up of a single judge has jurisdiction to hear.
The practical benefit of this article is that residents of governorates and small centers can bring their specialized cases locally where these circuits exist, instead of needing a specialized court in another town.
It is connected to Article 22, which provides that the commercial court and the labor court consist of specialized circuits, and to Article 24, which provides that the president and members of each circuit, or its judge, are appointed by a decision of the president of the court.
The article does not state which cases the Council specifies for a single judge, nor the details of assessing need.
Practical example
Mohammed works for a company in a small governorate that has no labor court, and he has overdue entitlements. If a labor circuit is established in the general court of his governorate under this article, it has the jurisdiction of the labor court and hears his claim.
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 23 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
What if there is no labor court in my governorate?
Specialized labor, commercial, criminal and personal status circuits may be established in the general courts in the centers and governorates where no specialized courts have been established, when need arises, and they have the jurisdiction of the specialized courts.
Who determines the cases a single judge hears in the general court?
The Supreme Judicial Council determines the cases that a general court made up of a single judge has jurisdiction to hear.
How many judges sit in a general court circuit in a governorate?
Each circuit is made up of one or more 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 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 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
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.