Article 71 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 71 من نظام القضاء
The article gives the Ministry of Justice administrative and financial supervision of the courts and notary offices, the right to submit proposals to improve the justice system, and a research center that publishes selected judgments.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
1 ـ مع عدم الإخلال بالأحكام المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، تتولى وزارة العدل الإشراف الإداري والمالي على المحاكم وكتابات العدل.
2 ـ ترفع وزارة العدل ما تراه من المقترحات أو المشروعات التي من شأنها رفع المستوى اللائق بمرفق العدالة.
3 ـ ينشأ في وزارة العدل مركز للبحوث ويؤلف من عدد كاف من الأعضاء المتخصصين لا يقل مؤهل أي منهم عن الشهادة الجامعية، ويتولى نشر الأحكام القضائية المختارة بعد موافقة المجلس الأعلى للقضاء .
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 71 explained in plain English
This article sets out the role of the Ministry of Justice in three points:
- Administrative and financial supervision: The Ministry of Justice carries out administrative and financial supervision of the courts and notary offices, without prejudice to the provisions of the Law of the Judiciary. The Ministry's supervision is administrative and financial, and it does not affect the provisions the Law lays down.
- Proposals and projects: The Ministry submits whatever proposals or projects it sees fit to raise the standard appropriate to the justice system. The text does not specify the body to which they are submitted.
- Research center: A research center is established in the Ministry, made up of a sufficient number of specialist members, none of whom may hold less than a university degree. The center publishes selected judicial judgments, but only after the approval of the Supreme Judicial Council.
The text shows a division of roles: the Ministry handles the administrative, financial and research aspects, while the Supreme Judicial Council retains a role in the publication of judgments through the requirement of its approval.
This article is connected to Article 72, which provides that the Deputy Minister of Justice is appointed at the Excellent grade.
Practical example
A legal researcher in Jeddah wants to review earlier judicial judgments on a type of case. This article makes publishing selected judicial judgments one of the tasks of the research center in the Ministry of Justice, with publication subject to the approval of the Supreme Judicial Council.
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 71 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
What is the Ministry of Justice's role in the courts?
The Ministry of Justice carries out administrative and financial supervision of the courts and notary offices, without prejudice to the provisions of the Law of the Judiciary.
Who publishes judicial judgments in Saudi Arabia?
The research center in the Ministry of Justice publishes selected judicial judgments after the approval of the Supreme Judicial Council.
What qualification do the Ministry of Justice research center's members need?
None of the center's specialist members may hold less than a university degree.
More articles on Ministry of Justice and Judicial Assistants
- Article 72Amended (1443 AH)
The article provides that the Deputy Minister of Justice is appointed at the Excellent grade.
يعين نائب وزير العدل بالمرتبة الممتازة
- Article 73Amended (1440 AH)
The article provides that notary offices are established, and their jurisdictions and composition determined, by decision of the Minister of Justice, and that the head of each notary office supervises its notaries.
يكون إنشاء كتابات العدل، وتحديد دوائر اختصاصها وتكوينها بقرار يصدره وزير العدل . ويشرف رئيس كل كتابة عدل على كتاب العدل التابعين لها.
- Article 81
The article lists the auxiliaries of the judiciary, including clerks, registrars, researchers, process servers, translators, experts and secretaries, and refers the regulation of their work to a regulation issued by the Minister of Justice.
يعد من أعوان القضاء كتاب الضبط، وكتاب السجل، والباحثون، والمحضرون، والمترجمون، والخبراء، وأمناء السر، ونحوهم، وتصدر لائحة بقرار من وزير العدل بعد الاتفاق مع رئي
- Article 82
The article requires anyone appointed as an auxiliary of the judiciary or a court employee to pass an examination whose procedures and conditions are set by the Minister of Justice in agreement with the President of the Supreme Judicial Council, in addition to the civil service conditions.
مع عدم الإخلال بما نص عليه نظام الخدمة المدنية من شروط التعيين، يشترط فيمن يعين من أعوان القضاء وموظفي المحاكم أن ينجح في امتحان تحدد إجراءاته وشروطه بقرار من و
- Article 83
The article subjects court and notary office employees to the civil service regulations insofar as they do not conflict with the Law of the Judiciary, and places them under the supervision of their administrative superior and the court president or notary office head.
تسري على موظفي المحاكم وكتابات العدل ــ فيما لا يتعارض مع أحكام هذا النظام ـ أحكام أنظمة الخدمة المدنية ويعمل موظفو كل محكمة وكتابة عدل تحت رقابة رئيسهم الإداري
- Article 85
The article provides that the current Law of the Judiciary replaces the Law of the Judiciary issued by Royal Decree No. (M/64) dated 14/7/1395 AH.
يحل هذا النظام محل نظام القضاء، الصادر بالمرسوم الملكي رقم (م/64) وتاريخ 14 / 7 / 1395 هـ.
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.