Article 7 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 7 من نظام القضاء
The Supreme Judicial Council meets at least every two months with a majority of its members present, its decisions are issued by a majority of the Council, and the President of the Supreme Court replaces its chair in his absence.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
ينعقد المجلس الأعلى للقضاء - برئاسة رئيسه - مرة كل شهرين على الأقل وكلما دعت الحاجة إلى ذلك، ويكون انعقاده نظاميًا بحضور أغلبية الأعضاء، وتصدر قراراته بأغلبية المجلس. وفي حالة غياب رئيس المجلس يحل محله رئيس المحكمة العليا .
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 7 explained in plain English
This article regulates how the Supreme Judicial Council works in terms of meetings and decisions, as follows:
- Presidency: The Council meets under the chairmanship of its chair.
- Regularity of meetings: At least once every two months, and whenever needed. Two months is a minimum, and the Council can meet more often.
- Quorum: A meeting is valid when a majority of the members are present; if a majority is not present, the meeting is not valid.
- Issuing decisions: By a majority of the Council. The text says "by a majority of the Council" and does not say "by a majority of those present".
- Absence of the chair: The President of the Supreme Court replaces him.
These rules gain their importance from the scale of the powers Article 6 lists for the Council, such as handling judges' career affairs including appointment, promotion, discipline, transfer and termination of service, establishing, merging and abolishing courts, and issuing regulations. These weighty decisions must be issued by a validly convened Council and by the majority the text requires.
This is complemented by what Article 8 provides, that the Council issues an internal regulation organizing its work and tasks.
Translated from our Arabic explanation with machine assistance. For guidance only; it does not replace advice from a lawyer on your situation.
How we write and review contentA question about Article 7 of Law of the Judiciary?
Describe what happened and specialist lawyers answer. You can write in English.
- Completely free
- Lawyers from the directory answer
- Your name stays hidden
General Practice lawyers: ask a specialist about your case
Describe your situation briefly and we'll suggest a lawyer who specialises in this law
General Practice lawyers
Lawyers who handle this kind of case
Ali Al-Rubaie Law Office
Khalid Abdulrahman Al-Hajlah Law and Arbitration Office
Frequently asked questions about Article 7 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
How often does the Supreme Judicial Council meet?
It meets at least once every two months, and whenever needed.
When is a meeting of the Supreme Judicial Council valid?
A meeting is valid when a majority of the members are present, and its decisions are issued by a majority of the Council.
Who chairs the Supreme Judicial Council if its chair is absent?
The President of the Supreme Court replaces him.
More articles on Supreme Judicial Council
- Article 5Amended by M/95
The article sets the formation of the Supreme Judicial Council as a chair and fourteen members, how they are named, their membership term, and their remuneration set by royal order.
يؤلف المجلس الأعلى للقضاء من رئيس، وأربعة عشر عضواً على النحو الآتي: أ- رئيس المحكمة العليا. ب- أربعة قضاة متفرغين يتوافر فيهم ما يشترط من رئيس محكمة استئناف. ج
- Article 6
The article sets the Supreme Judicial Council's powers, including judges' career affairs, issuing regulations, establishing, supervising and naming the heads of courts.
يتولى المجلس الأعلى للقضاء - بالإضافة إلى الاختصاصات الأخرى المبينة في هذا النظام - ما يلي: أ - النظر في شؤون القضاة الوظيفية، من تعيين وترقية وتأديب وندب وإعار
- Article 8
The article gives the Supreme Judicial Council its own budget, a general secretariat headed by a secretary-general chosen from among the judges, researchers, technicians and administrators, and an internal regulation.
1- يكون للمجلس الأعلى للقضاء ميزانية خاصة به تصدر وفق القواعد المتبعة لصدور الميزانية العامة للدولة . 2- يكون للمجلس الأعلى للقضاء أمانة عامة، ويختار المجلس الأ
- Article 55
The article creates in the Supreme Judicial Council a judicial inspection department that inspects judges' work and investigates complaints referred to it, at least once and at most twice a year.
1- تؤلف في المجلس الأعلى للقضاء إدارة للتفتيش القضائي من رئيس ومساعد وعدد كاف من القضاة المتفرغين يختارهم المجلس من بين قضاة محاكم الاستئناف ومحاكم الدرجة الأول
- 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
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.