Article 79 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
المادة 79 من نظام القضاء
The article subjects notaries to judicial inspection in accordance with the provisions of the Law of the Judiciary.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
يخضع كتاب العدل للتفتيش القضائي، وفقا لأحكام هذا النظام.
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 79 explained in plain English
This article lays down a single rule: notaries are subject to judicial inspection, and this inspection is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Law of the Judiciary.
Meaning of the rule: Although notaries are not judges, the Law was not content to subject them to the civil service provisions; it also placed them under judicial inspection. This article does not detail the method or effects of the inspection, and refers instead to the provisions of the Law on it.
Relation to neighboring articles:
- Article 78 provides that, without prejudice to the provisions laid down in this Law, notaries are subject to all the provisions that apply to civil service employees. Their subjection to judicial inspection is one of the special provisions the Law lays down for them.
- Article 80 gives documents issued by notaries, within their competence under Article 74, evidentiary force, requires that their content be acted on before the courts without additional evidence, and permits challenging them only for contravening Sharia or statutory principles or for forgery.
Reading these articles together shows that the Law gave notaries' work strong probative weight and, in return, subjected them to judicial inspection.
Anyone with a concern about a notary's work who wants to know the proper way to raise it may consult a lawyer specializing in notarization and administrative cases.
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 79 of the Saudi Law of the Judiciary
Is a notary subject to judicial inspection?
Yes. Article 79 provides that notaries are subject to judicial inspection in accordance with the provisions of the Law of the Judiciary.
Is a notary also subject to the civil service provisions?
Yes. Article 78 provides that they are subject to all the provisions that apply to civil service employees, without prejudice to the provisions of the Law of the Judiciary.
More articles on Notaries Public
- 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 74
The article makes notary offices competent to notarize contracts and record acknowledgments, except endowments and wills, and allows some of these functions to be entrusted to others under a regulation issued by the Minister of Justice.
تختص كتابات العدل بتوثيق العقود وضبط الإقرارات فيما عدا الأوقاف والوصايا ، ويجوز أن يعهد ببعض هذه الاختصاصات إلى الغير، وذلك وفق لائحة تصدر بقرار من وزير العدل
- Article 75
The article assigns the notary function to the town's court where the town has no notary office, with the powers and authority of a notary office within the court's territorial jurisdiction.
تسند مهمة كتابة العدل - في البلد الذي ليس فيه كتابة عدل - إلى محكمة البلد. ويكون لها اختصاصات كتابة العدل وصلاحيتها في حدود اختصاص المحكمة المكاني.
- Article 76
The article requires anyone appointed as a notary to meet the conditions in paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d) and (f) of Article 31, which sets the conditions for taking up judicial office.
يشترط فيمن يعين على وظيفة كاتب عدل أن تتوافر فيه الشروط المنصوص عليها في الفقرات (أ)، و(ب) و(ج)، و(د)، و(و) من المادة الحادية والثلاثين من هذا النظام.
- Article 77
The article keeps in force the regulation issued by agreement between the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Civil Service on the qualifications for notary post grades, and lets them amend it in accordance with the Law.
يستمر العمل باللائحة الصادرة بالاتفاق بين وزير العدل ووزير الخدمة المدنية ، المتعلقة بتحديد مؤهلات شغل فئات وظائف كتاب العدل، ويجوز لهما تعديل ما يلزم منها وفقً
- Article 78
The article subjects notaries to all the provisions that apply to civil service employees, without prejudice to what the Law of the Judiciary provides.
مع عدم الإخلال بالأحكام المنصوص عليها في هذا النظام، يخضع كتاب العدل لجميع الأحكام التي يخضع لها موظفو الخدمة المدنية.
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.