Article 65 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 65 من نظام القضاء
The article requires the judgment in a disciplinary case to include its reasons and for them to be read out when it is pronounced in a confidential session, and makes the judgment not open to appeal.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يجب أن يشتمل الحكم الصادر في الدعوى التأديبية على الأسباب التي بني عليها، وأن تتلى أسبابه عند النطق به في جلسة سرية ويكون الحكم غير قابل للطعن.
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 65 explained in plain English
This article sets three provisions for the judgment that the disciplinary circuit issues in the disciplinary case filed against a judge:
- Giving reasons: the judgment must include the reasons on which it is based. It is not enough for it to state the result alone.
- Reading the reasons in a confidential session: the reasons for the judgment are read out when it is pronounced, and this takes place in a confidential session, as an extension of the confidentiality of the sessions of the disciplinary case that Article 64 provides.
- Not open to appeal: the disciplinary judgment is not open to appeal.
This provision is understood in light of the safeguards that precede it. Article 64 does not allow the circuit to rule except after hearing the judge's defense, allows him to present his defense in writing or delegate one of the men of the judiciary, and does not allow judgment in his absence except after verifying the validity of his notification. Since the judgment is not open to appeal, the requirement to give reasons and read them out is there so that the judge knows the grounds on which the judgment was based.
As for what the judgment may order, Article 66 sets it out: one of two penalties, reprimand or termination of service.
Note that this article concerns judgments issued in the disciplinary case against a judge specifically, so the rule that they are not open to appeal is limited to those judgments.
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 65 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
May the disciplinary judgment issued against a judge be objected to?
No. Article 65 provides that the judgment issued in the disciplinary case is not open to appeal.
Must the judgment in a judge's disciplinary case give reasons?
Yes. The judgment must include the reasons on which it is based, and its reasons are read out when it is pronounced.
Is the disciplinary judgment pronounced publicly?
No. The reasons for the judgment are read out when it is pronounced in a confidential session.
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 62
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.
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 وللدائ
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.