Article 12 of the Saudi Law of Procedure before the Board of Grievances
المادة 12 من نظام المرافعات أمام ديوان المظالم · الباب الثالث: النظر في الدعوى والحكم فيها
Circuit sessions are valid only with all its judges present, and the prosecution representative in a disciplinary case. If the circuit is incomplete, the President of the Administrative Judiciary Council assigns someone to complete it for no more than 60 days.
Official text (Arabic)
This article has not been amended since the law was issued.
مع مراعاة ما نصت عليه المادة (الحادية عشرة) من هذا النظام ؛ لا تصح جلسات الدائرة إلا بحضور جميع قضاتها، وممثل الادعاء في الدعوى التأديبية. فإن لم يكتمل تشكيل الدائرة، يكلف رئيس مجلس القضاء الإداري مَنْ يكمله من قضاتها مدة لا تتجاوز ستين يوماً، ولرئيس المجلس تفويض رئيس المحكمة بذلك.
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 12 explained in plain English
This article sets a condition for the validity of circuit sessions in the Board of Grievances courts.
The validity condition: Circuit sessions are valid only with the presence of:
- All of its judges.
- The prosecution representative, in a disciplinary case.
Subject to Article 11: This condition is subject to Article 11, which allows the circuit to assign one of its judges to prepare the case and make it ready for pleading, and the parties to exchange memoranda through a court specialist. Preparation procedures handled by a single judge under that article differ from circuit sessions, at which everyone must be present.
If the composition is incomplete: The President of the Administrative Judiciary Council assigns one of the judges to complete the circuit for a period not exceeding 60 days, and the President of the Council may delegate the court president to do so.
The importance of this provision for litigants is that it ensures their case is heard by the circuit in its full composition, and that the case is not delayed for long by a shortage of judges. To learn the effect of an incomplete composition on a particular case, one may consult a lawyer specializing in administrative cases before the Board of Grievances.
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 12 of the Saudi Law of Procedure before the Board of Grievances
Is an administrative court session valid if one of the judges is absent?
Circuit sessions are valid only with all its judges present, subject to what Article 11 provides.
What happens if the circuit's composition is incomplete?
The President of the Administrative Judiciary Council assigns one of the judges to complete it for no more than 60 days, and may delegate the court president to do so.
Must the prosecution representative be present?
Yes, in a disciplinary case; the session is not valid without his presence.
Articles this article refers to
More articles on Hearing the Case and Sessions in the Administrative Court
- Article 10
The article makes the procedures for hearing the case and the pleadings written as a rule, while allowing the circuit to hear statements and defenses orally and record in the session minutes what it sees fit.
تكون إجراءات نظر الدعوى والمرافعة فيها كتابية، على أنه يجوز للدائرة سماع الأقوال والدفوع مشافهة، وإثبات ما تراه من ذلك في محضر الجلسة .
- Article 11
The article allows, under a decision of the Administrative Judiciary Council, one of the circuit's judges to prepare the case, and the parties to exchange memoranda through a court specialist.
في سبيل نظر الدعوى يجوز - وفقاً لقرار يصدر من مجلس القضاء الإداري - الآتي : 1 - أن تعهد الدائرة إلى أحد قضاتها تحضير الدعوى وتهيئتها للمرافعة، وفقاً لما يلي: أ
- Article 13
The article gives the presiding judge authority to manage and control the session. He may order offensive wording struck, remove those who disrupt it and detain them for 24 hours or fine them up to SAR 1,000, and have a record made of offenses.
إدارة الجلسة وضبطها منوطان برئيسها، ولـه في سبيل ذلك اتخاذ أيِّ من الإجراءات الآتية: 1 - أن يأمر بمحو العبارات الجارحة، أو المخالفة للآداب، أو النظام العام، من
- Article 14
Any party to the case may obtain copies of its papers and documents unless the presiding judge decides otherwise, and no paper may be relied on unless the parties are allowed to see it.
لأيٍّ من أطراف الدعوى الحصول على صور من أوراق الدعوى ومستنداتها ما لم يرَ رئيس الجلسة خلاف ذلك، ولا يجوز التعويل على أيٍّ من أوراق الدعوى ومستنداتها ما لم يمكَّ
- Article 18
The circuit's secretary drafts the session minutes under its president's supervision, including the judges' names, the time and place, those present and the procedures, and the judges, secretary and parties sign them.
يحرر أمين سر الدائرة محضر الجلسة تحت إشراف رئيسها، على أن يبين فيه أسماء القضاة الذين حضروا الجلسة، وزمان انعقادها ومكانه، والحاضرين من أطراف الدعوى، وجميع الإج
- Article 19
If the court sees during the pleadings that supplementary investigation is necessary, it carries it out itself or assigns one of its judges to do so.
إن رأت المحكمة أثناء المرافعة ضرورة إجراء تحقيق تكميلي، باشرت ذلك بنفسها، أو كلفت من يقوم به من قضاتها.
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.