Article 72 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 72 من نظام القضاء
The article provides that the Deputy Minister of Justice is appointed at the Excellent grade.
Official text after amendments (Arabic)
Compiled from the original text and every officially published amendment; the amendments are shown in full below for comparison.
يعين نائب وزير العدل بالمرتبة الممتازة
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 72 explained in plain English
This is a short article concerning the administrative organization of the Ministry of Justice, specifically the post of Deputy Minister of Justice.
What does it provide? That the Deputy Minister of Justice is appointed at the Excellent grade. In its current wording the article contains nothing more, so it does not specify the appointing authority, the instrument of appointment, or any conditions for the holder of the post.
What has changed? According to the amendment record, the article has been amended twice:
- Under Royal Decree No. (M/81) dated 13/7/1440 AH, the text provided that the Deputy Minister of Justice was to be named by royal order on the proposal of the Minister of Justice from among serving members of the judiciary, at a grade no lower than Court President (B), and that he would remain in the judicial corps during that time.
- It was then amended by Royal Decree No. (M/129) dated 30/11/1443 AH to its current wording: "The Deputy Minister of Justice is appointed at the Excellent grade."
The current text therefore no longer contains the provisions of the 1440 AH wording, such as the requirement that the Deputy be a serving member of the judiciary.
Relation to neighboring articles: The article comes within the provisions relating to the Ministry of Justice. Article (71) provides that the Ministry of Justice carries out administrative and financial supervision of the courts and notary offices, without prejudice to the provisions of the Law, submits proposals that raise the standard of the justice system, and has a research center that publishes selected judicial judgments after the approval of the Supreme Judicial Council. Article (73) concerns the establishment of notary offices and the determination of their jurisdictions by a decision of the Minister of Justice.
This article is organizational and does not create direct rights or obligations for individuals.
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 72 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
At what grade is the Deputy Minister of Justice appointed?
Under the current wording of the article, he is appointed at the Excellent grade.
Must the Deputy Minister of Justice be a judge?
The current text does not contain this requirement. The earlier text under Decree (M/81) provided for naming him from among serving members of the judiciary, before it was amended by Decree (M/129) dated 30/11/1443 AH.
Amendment history
Royal Decree No. M/81 — 13/7/1440 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- عُدلت هذه المادة بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م / 81) وتاريخ 13 / 7 / 1440هـ، لتكون بالنص الآتي يُسمى نائب وزير العدل بأمر ملكي بناءً على اقتراح من وزير العدل من بين رجال القضاء العاملين، بشرط ألا تقل درجته عن درجة رئيس محكمة (ب)، على أن يستمر في السلك القضائي أثناء ذلك.
Royal Decree No. M/129 — 30/11/1443 AH
Official amendment text (Arabic)
- عُدلت هذه المادة وذلك بموجب المرسوم الملكي رقم (م/129) وتاريخ 1443/11/30هـ لتكون بالنص الآتي: "يعين نائب وزير العدل بالمرتبة الممتازة".
Original text before the amendments (Arabic)
يختار وكيل وزارة العدل من بين رجال القضاء العاملين أو السابقين، بشرط ألا تقل درجته عن درجة رئيس محكمة (ب) أو سبق له شغل هذه الدرجة ويعين بالمرتبة الممتازة.
More articles on Ministry of Justice and Judicial Assistants
- Article 71
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.
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 ال
- 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.