Article 29 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 29 من نظام القضاء
Filing a conflict of jurisdiction request stops the proceedings in the case, and if it is filed after judgment, the Committee's chair may order a stay of enforcement of the conflicting judgments or one of them.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يترتب على رفع الطلب إلى اللجنة المشار إليها في المادة السابعة والعشرين من هذا النظام وقف السير في الدعوى المقدم في شأنها الطلب. وإذا قدم الطلب بعد الحكم في الدعوى فلرئيس لجنة الفصل في تنازع الاختصاص أن يأمر بوقف تنفيذ الحكمين المتعارضين أو أحدهما.
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 29 explained in plain English
This article sets out the effect of filing the request with the Committee for Deciding Conflicts of Jurisdiction regulated by Article 27. It distinguishes between two cases:
1. Before judgment in the case: filing the request with the Committee results in a stay of proceedings in the case to which the request relates. This effect occurs by operation of the Law as soon as the request is filed, and the text does not require a decision by anyone.
2. After judgment in the case: if the request is filed after judgment, the chair of the Committee for Deciding Conflicts of Jurisdiction may order a stay of enforcement of the conflicting judgments or one of them. Here the stay is discretionary, assessed by the Committee's chair, and is not automatic.
The purpose of this article is to prevent the continuation of proceedings that might conflict with what the Committee will decide. It makes no sense for two bodies to keep hearing the same case while the Committee is considering which of them has jurisdiction, nor for two contradictory judgments to be enforced before the Committee decides the dispute over them.
As a reminder of what Article 27 provides, the Committee has jurisdiction in two cases: where a claim is filed over one subject before the courts and before the Board of Grievances or another body, and neither has declined it or both have declined it; and a dispute over enforcing two contradictory final judgments, one from the courts under this Law and the other from the Board of Grievances or the other body. Under Article 28, the request is filed by a statement of claim to the General Secretariat of the Supreme Judicial Council.
Practical example
A final judgment is issued in favor of a company in Riyadh by the commercial court, and a contradictory final judgment on the same subject is issued against it by the Board of Grievances. If the company files a request with the Committee for Deciding Conflicts of Jurisdiction, the Committee's chair may order a stay of enforcement of the two judgments or one of them until the Committee decides.
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 29 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
Are the proceedings stayed when a conflict of jurisdiction request is filed?
Yes. Filing the request with the Committee results in a stay of proceedings in the case to which the request relates.
Is enforcement of a judgment stayed if the conflict of jurisdiction request is filed after it is issued?
The chair of the Committee for Deciding Conflicts of Jurisdiction may order a stay of enforcement of the conflicting judgments or one of them. The stay here is discretionary, not automatic.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Conflicts of Jurisdiction between Judicial Bodies
- Article 25
The courts have jurisdiction to decide all cases under the jurisdiction rules of the Law of Sharia Procedure and the Law of Criminal Procedure, without prejudice to the Law of the Board of Grievances.
دون إخلال بما يقضي به نظام ديوان المظالم ، تختص المحاكم بالفصل في جميع القضايا، وفق قواعد اختصاص المحاكم المبينة في نظام المرافعات الشرعية ونظام الإجراءات الجزا
- Article 27
The article creates a committee in the Supreme Judicial Council to decide conflicts of jurisdiction between the courts and the Board of Grievances or another body, and disputes over enforcing two contradictory final judgments.
إذا رفعت دعوى عن موضوع واحد أمام إحدى المحاكم الخاضعة لهذا النظام وأمام إحدى محاكم ديوان المظالم أو أي جهة أخرى تختص بالفصل في بعض المنازعات ولم تتخلَّ إحداهما
- Article 28
The article sets the procedure for filing a conflict of jurisdiction request by a statement of claim to the General Secretariat of the Supreme Judicial Council, its contents and attachments, preparation, and setting the pleading session.
يرفع الطلب في الأحوال المبينة في المادة (السابعة والعشرين) من هذا النظام بصحيفة تقدم إلى الأمانة العامة للمجلس الأعلى للقضاء تتضمن - علاوة على البيانات العامة ا
- Article 30
The decision of the Committee for Deciding Conflicts of Jurisdiction is issued by majority and is not open to objection.
يصدر قرار لجنة الفصل في تنازع الاختصاص بالأغلبية، ويكون غير قابل للاعتراض.
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.