Article 62 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 62 من نظام القضاء
The article allows the disciplinary circuit, on deciding to proceed with the case and with the Supreme Judicial Council's approval, to suspend the judge from work until the trial ends, and to reconsider the suspension.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجوز لدائرة التأديب ــ عند تقرير السير في إجراءات الدعوى ـ وبعد موافقة المجلس الأعلى للقضاء أن تأمر بوقف القاضي عن مباشرة أعمال وظيفته حتى تنتهي المحاكمة وللدائرة في كل وقت أن تعيد النظر في أمر الوقف.
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 62 explained in plain English
This article regulates the suspension of a judge from performing the work of his post during the disciplinary trial.
Conditions of suspension:
- It must be by the disciplinary circuit.
- It must be when deciding to proceed with the case, meaning after the circuit sees grounds to proceed with it.
- It must be with the approval of the Supreme Judicial Council.
Nature of the suspension: the suspension is discretionary, since the text says "may", meaning the circuit may or may not order it, as it sees fit.
Length of the suspension: the suspension continues until the trial ends.
Reconsideration: the circuit may at any time reconsider the suspension order, so it can review it while the trial is under way without waiting for its end.
The article does not explain the effect of the suspension on the judge's salary or his other rights.
The article is connected to Article 61, which provides that if the circuit sees grounds to proceed with the case on all or some of the violations, the judge is summoned to appear at a suitable time with a sufficient statement of the subject of the case and the evidence of the violation. It is also connected to Article 63, which provides that the disciplinary case lapses on the judge's resignation, and that the disciplinary case has no effect on the criminal or civil case arising from the same incident. Anyone facing proceedings of this kind should use a lawyer specialized in judicial laws.
Practical example
The disciplinary circuit decided to proceed with a disciplinary case against a judge at a court in Dammam, and considered that his remaining at work during the trial was not appropriate. Under Article 62, it may, with the approval of the Supreme Judicial Council, order him suspended from performing the work of his post until the trial ends, and it may reconsider the suspension at any time.
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 62 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
May a judge be suspended from work during his disciplinary trial?
Yes. The disciplinary circuit may, on deciding to proceed with the case and with the approval of the Supreme Judicial Council, order him suspended until the trial ends.
Can a judge's suspension be lifted before the trial ends?
The circuit may at any time reconsider the suspension order.
Is suspension from work mandatory in every disciplinary case?
No. The text makes it permissible for the circuit, not required.
More articles on Judicial Discipline and Trial of Judges
- Article 4
Judges may not be sued over their official acts except under the conditions and rules for their discipline, without prejudice to Article 68.
مع عدم الإخلال بحكم المادة الثامنة والستين من هذا النظام، لا تجوز مخاصمة القضاة - بسبب أعمال وظيفتهم - إلا وفق الشروط والقواعد الخاصة بتأديبهم.
- Article 58
The article gives the president of each court the right to supervise its judges and to warn them of their violations after hearing their statements, and lets a judge object to a written warning within fifteen days.
مع عدم الإخلال بما للقضاء من حياد واستقلال، وبما للمجلس الأعلى للقضاء من حق الإشراف على المحاكم والقضاة وأعمالهم، يكون لرئيس كل محكمة حق الإشراف على قضاتها وحق
- Article 59
The article makes the disciplining of judges the jurisdiction of a circuit in the Supreme Judicial Council of three of its full-time judge members, whose decisions are issued by majority and are not final until the Council approves.
يكون تأديب القضاة من اختصاص دائرة تشكل في المجلس الأعلى للقضاء من ثلاثة من القضاة أعضاء المجلس المتفرغين، وتصدر قراراتها بالأغلبية، ولا تكون نهائية إلا بعد مواف
- Article 60
The article regulates filing the disciplinary case against a judge by the head of the judicial inspection department at the request of the president of the Supreme Judicial Council, after a criminal or administrative investigation, and the contents of the statement of claim.
يرفع رئيس إدارة التفتيش القضائي أو من ينيبه الدعوة التأديبية ـ أمام دائرة التأديب ـ بطلب من رئيس المجلس الأعلى للقضاء إما من تلقاء نفسه أو بناء على اقتراح رئيس
- Article 61
The article provides that if the disciplinary circuit sees grounds to proceed with the case, the judge is summoned to appear at a suitable time, with a sufficient statement of its subject and the evidence of the violation.
إذا رأت دائرة التأديب وجهًا للسير في إجراءات الدعوى عن جميع المخالفات أو بعضها، كلف القاضي، بالحضور في ميعاد مناسب، ويجب أن يشتمل التكليف بالحضور على بيان كاف ب
- Article 63
The article provides that the disciplinary case against a judge lapses on his resignation, and that the disciplinary case does not affect the criminal or civil case arising from the same incident.
تنقضي الدعوى التأديبية باستقالة القاضي، ولا تأثير للدعوى التأديبية على الدعوى الجزائية أو المدنية الناشئة عن الواقعة نفسها.
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.