Law of Commercial Courts  
 
Royal Decree No. M/93  
April 8, 2020  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Translation of Saudi Laws  
 Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 2 NOTE:  
The translation of Saudi laws takes the following into consideration:  
• Words used in the singular form include the plural and vice versa.  
• Words used in the masculine form include the feminine.  
• Words used in the present tense include the present as well as the future.  
• The word “person” or “persons” and their related pronoun s (he, his, him, they, 
their, them) refer to a natural and legal person.  
 
   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 3 Law of Commercial Courts  
Part 1: General Provisions  
Article 1  
In this Law, the following terms shall have the meanings assigned thereto, 
unless the context requires otherwise:  
Law: Law of Commercial Courts.  
Regulations : Implementing regulations of this Law.  
Council : Supreme Judicial Council.  
Court : Commercial Court.  
Ministry : Ministry of Justice.  
Minister : Minister of Justice.  
Party : A party to a lawsuit or claim.  
Article 2  
Without prejudice to the provisions of commercial laws and international 
conventions to which the Kingdom is party, the provisions of this Law and its 
Regulations shall apply to the commercial court and to cases under its 
jurisdiction.  
Article 3  
The Supreme Judicial Council shall, in accordance with its jurisdiction, consider 
the following:  
1. Establishing commercial courts in various provinces and counties of the 
Kingdom as needed, provided that each court comprises appellate circuits 
and circuits of first instance.  
2. Forming appellate circuits and circuits of first instance within commercial 
courts to be composed of three judges; however, circuits may be composed 
of a single judge in accordance with this Law.  
Article 4  
1. The chief judge of the  commercial court shall oversee the court and name 
the judges of its circuits and its staff in accordance with rules determined by 
the Council.  
2. Selection of competent judicial aides shall be in accordance with legal 
procedures. The commercial court may rec ruit Sharia and law graduates or 
their equivalent pursuant to rules issued by the Minister in coordination with 
the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development.  
3. The Regulations shall determine the responsibilities and tasks of judicial 
aides.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 4 Articl e 5 
Without prejudice to the independence of the judiciary and due process, the 
commercial court may seek the assistance of the private sector to carry out:  
1. mediation and reconciliation;  
2. notification and service of process;  
3. registry of cases and claims and delivery of court judgments;  
4. managing hearing rooms;  
5. exchange of memoranda and access to documents;  
6. expert -related procedures;  
7. documenting evidentiary procedures; and  
8. managing specialized departments of the commercial court.  
The Regulations sha ll specify the procedures for the implementation of this 
Article.  
Article 6  
Notwithstanding the provisions of this Law and the Law of Civil Procedure, and 
without prejudice to public policy and the rules of justice, the parties to a 
commercial transaction,  if both are merchants, may agree on specific litigation 
procedures and other litigation -related matters.  
Article 7  
Any of the procedures stipulated in this Law may be carried out via electronic 
means, including filing, registering, and hearing claims and petitions, and 
pleading, exchanging memorandums, rendering judgments, and filing appeals. 
The Regulations shall determine the procedures for enforcing the provisions of 
this Article, including the provisions related to the time frame for such 
procedures.  
Article 8  
The Regulations shall specify the following:  
1. Mediation and reconciliation procedures, including cases that must be 
preceded by mediation or reconciliation, provided that such procedures do 
not exceed 30 days from the date of initiation, unless the  parties agree on a 
longer period of time.  
2. Class action procedures, which shall include determining these claims and 
consideration and ruling procedures.  
3. Procedures for small claims, which shall include determining these claims 
and consideration and ruling  procedures.  
Article 9  
1. Process shall be deemed to have been served in accordance with the 
provisions of this Law if delivered to any of the following addresses:  
a) The parties’ verified or selected electronic address.  
b) The domicile of a natural or legal person, unless a different address is  Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 5 selected.  
c) The official postal address registered with the competent agency.  
d) The address registered in the commercial register for the business activity 
connected with said register.  
e) The address provided by a person in any document related to the case or 
claim, or memoranda submitted to the commercial court pertaining to the 
same case.  
f) The address indicated in the contract subject of the dispute.  
g) The address a foreigner selects in the Kingdom.  
2. A natural or legal person m ay select a lawyer’s address to which process is 
served; such address shall be subject to the provisions governing the 
address of such person.  
3. If a party changes the address in the documents stated in paragraph (e) of 
this Article, he shall notify the comm ercial court within 48 hours of the date 
of such change; otherwise, any process served to the previous address shall 
be deemed valid.  
Article 10  
1. Service of process to the electronic address referred to in Article  9(1)(a) of 
this Law shall be carried out as follows:  
a) Sending a message to a verified mobile phone number.  
b) Sending a message to the verified or selected e -mail address.  
c) Notifying a user of an e -government service account upon access thereof.  
2. Process shall be served to any of the addresses referre d to in Article 9(1)(b, 
c, d, e, f, and g) of this Law through any licensed postal service provider, and 
shall be deemed to have been delivered by submitting a proof of delivery 
issued by the postal service provider.  
Article 11  
Absent a specific provision,  the process shall be served as follows:  
1. For a natural person: to his permanent or temporary domicile, workplace, or 
any other place where he is located, or a place that belongs to his agent or 
to any colleague working at the workplace related to the comme rcial 
transaction subject of the claim.  
2. For companies: to the legal representative, any of the partners, the manager 
or his representative, or the legal department or the department tasked with 
receiving correspondence. If the claim relates to a company br anch, the 
process may be served to the manager of that branch or his designee.  
3. For foreign companies with a branch or a commercial representative in the 
Kingdom: to the manager of the branch or the commercial representative, or 
their designees.  
4. For other legal persons: to their legal representatives or their designees.  
5. For administrative agencies: to the relevant minister or chairman of the 
institution or agency, or their designees.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 6 6. For a commercial vessel: to its owner, charterer, master, or their a gents, if 
the claim is related to the vessel.  
Article 12  
Without prejudice to international conventions, a notice may be served to a 
person residing outside the Kingdom in accordance with Articles 9, 10, and 11 
of this Law, provided an agreement to such ef fect exists between the parties.  
Article 13  
1. Without prejudice to any other penalty provided for by another law, the 
commercial court may decide to impose a fine not exceeding 10,000 riyals; 
its decision shall be final if a party disrupts the proceedings o f the case or 
the order of the hearing.  
2. Data, papers, and documents of a commercial case may be made available 
for public access in return for a fee equal to the service cost.  
However, certain papers or documents of a commercial case may, at the 
request of  a concerned party, be designated as confidential and be disclosed 
only to the commercial court, without prejudice to the rules governing open 
hearings or the provisions of relevant laws. The Regulations shall determine 
the necessary procedures and rules.  
Article 14  
1. The Regulations shall specify the periods necessary for case proceedings, 
taking into account the nature of commercial cases; this shall include the 
number of hearing sessions, their type, recording procedures, dates, time 
between sessions, and causes for adjournment.  
2. Cases, petitions, memoranda, documents, and reports shall be filed in 
accordance with the procedures determined and forms designated by the 
Ministry; such procedures and forms shall be approved by the Minister.  
Part 2: Jurisdiction  
Article 15  
Absent a specific provision in commercial laws or international treaties and 
conventions to which the Kingdom is party, the rules of international jurisdiction 
stipulated in the Law of Civil Procedure shall apply to cases that fall within the 
jurisdiction of the commercial court.  
Article 16  
The commercial court shall have jurisdiction to consider the following:  
1. Disputes arising between merchants due to their main or supporting 
business activities.  
2. Cases filed against a merchant in commercial c ontract disputes if the original  Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 7 claim exceeds 100,000 riyals. The Council may, if necessary, raise the limit 
of such amount.  
3. Disputes between partners in a Mudaraba  company.  
4. Claims and violations arising from the implementation of the Companies 
Law.  
5. Claims and violations arising from the implementation of the Bankruptcy 
Law.  
6. Claims and violations arising from the implementation of intellectual property 
laws.  
7. Claims and violations arising from the implementation of other commercial 
laws.  
8. Cases and clai ms related to appointed judicial receivers, trustees, 
liquidators, or experts, and the like, if the dispute is related to cases falling 
under the jurisdiction of the court.  
9. Claims for compensation for damages arising from a previous ruling issued 
by the co urt. 
Article 17  
1. Where this Law is silent and unless the parties agree otherwise in writing, 
the commercial court having jurisdiction over the dispute shall be the court 
within whose jurisdiction the defendant’s domicile is located. If the defendant 
does no t have a domicile in the Kingdom, the jurisdiction over the dispute 
shall be with the court within whose jurisdiction the plaintiff’s domicile is 
located. A claim may be brought before the commercial court having 
jurisdiction over the place where the contr act was concluded, executed, or 
intended to be executed.  
2. In claims pertaining to companies, the commercial court having territorial 
jurisdiction over the dispute shall be the court within whose jurisdiction the 
company’s headquarters is located, irrespecti ve of whether the claim is filed 
against the company; by the company against one of its partners; by one  
partner against another; or against a manager or board member. The claim 
may be filed with the court having jurisdiction over a company’s branch if the  
dispute arises from a contract concluded with said branch.  
Article 18  
The commercial court may, independent from other motions, rule on lack of 
subject -matter jurisdiction within a period not exceeding 20 days from the 
motion date.  
Part 3: Claim Registration  
Article 19  
1. In claims determined by the Regulations, a plaintiff shall require the 
defendant in writing to satisfy the claim at least 15 days prior to initiation of 
legal proceedings.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 8 2. Parties to a commercial transaction, prior to registering a  claim and under 
the commercial court’s supervision, may:  
a) engage in mediation and reconciliation procedures;  
b) exchange documents and memoranda; and  
c) hold meetings to set forth claims, defenses, and evidence.  
The Regulations shall determine the provisions for  implementing this 
paragraph, including procedures for documenting actions taken.  
Article 20  
1. A claim shall be filed with the commercial court by means of a statement of 
claim registered therewith. The Regulations shall specify the claims to be 
filed by a lawyer.  
2. The statement of claim shall include:  
a) particulars and addresses of the parties and their representatives and 
their capacities, as well as the data and documents determined by the 
Regulations; and  
b) a list of demands and grounds therefor.  
3. A statement of claim shall not include unrelated demands.  
Article 21  
1. The relevant department of the commercial court shall register the statement 
of claim if it meets the requirements stipulated in Article  20 of this Law.  
2. If the department does not register the applic ant’s claim for being incomplete 
and the applicant is notified thereof, the applicant shall complete the 
requirements within 15 days from the date of notification. If the claim is 
registered upon satisfaction of the requirements, the claim shall be deemed 
registered as of the date of submission. If the applicant fails to complete the 
requirements within said period, the application shall be deemed null and 
void. In all cases, the department shall record the date of submitting the 
application for registratio n. 
3. An applicant whose application for registration is declined may appeal before 
the chief judge of the commercial court within 15 days from the date of being 
notified thereof. The chief judge or his designee from among court judges, 
shall decide on the ap peal, and his decision shall be final.  
Article 22  
1. The relevant department shall refer cases and claims to the circuits in 
accordance with the Regulations, set a hearing date, and notify the 
defendant immediately after referral.  
2. A defendant shall, except in summary petitions, register with the commercial 
court a defense memorandum that includes his response to the claim and all 
his defenses, evidence, and demands at least one day before the scheduled 
hearing.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 9 Article 23  
The relevant department of th e commercial court shall prepare the case by 
undertaking the following:  
1. Ensuring completion of case documents.  
2. Notifying the parties.  
3. Exchanging memoranda and documents.  
4. Preparing an initial report on the case.  
The Regulations shall determine the implement ation of this Article.  
Article 24  
Absent a specific provision, the statute of limitations for claims falling under the 
jurisdiction of the commercial court shall be five years from the date of the cause 
of action, unless the defendant confirms the claim or  the claimant presents an 
acceptable justification to the court.  
Part 4: Consideration of the Case  
Article 25  
1. Cases shall be distributed among the members of a circuit according to 
procedures set by the Council.  
2. Court proceedings and pleadings shall be in writing; however, the circuit may 
hear the statements by the parties orally. The parties may request the 
commercial court to hear an oral summary of their statements and defenses 
at the conclusion of their pleadings, and the court shall record the same in 
the hearing record.  
3. The Regulations shall determine the cases where the pleadings must be 
brought by a lawyer.  
Article 26  
If any of the parties unjustifiably fails to satisfy the requirements made by the 
commercial court within the specified time, the c ourt may:  
1. impose the fine stipulated in Article  13(1) of this Law; its decision in this 
regard shall be final; or  
2. reject the party’s responses and counterclaims.  
Article 27  
1. The Regulations shall determine the number and type of hearings, as well 
as proced ures for their scheduling and recording, and reasons for 
adjournment.  
2. A hearing may not be adjourned, except for a reason necessitating such 
adjournment which shall be entered into the record. A hearing may not be 
adjourned for the same reason more than on ce.  Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 10 Article 28  
1. The circuit may appoint one of its judges to prepare the case for pleadings, 
including the following:  
a) Ensuring completion of memoranda and documents, summoning the 
concerned parties to confirm the veracity of facts, as well as the joining 
and admission of a party to a case.  
b) Preparing a summary of the case.  
2. The commercial court or the judge in charge of preparing the case may 
require exchange of memoranda and documents between the parties, or 
grant them permission to submit the same  to the relevant department.  
3. The provisions of Article 26 of this Law shall apply to the procedures for case 
preparation and exchange of memoranda.  
Article 29  
1. The clerk shall draft the hearing record under the supervision of the presiding 
judge. The Regulations shall specify the information to be included in the 
record.  
2. If the parties agree on reconciliation before the circuit, such agreement shall 
be established in the hearing record which shall be signed by the parties and 
approved by the presiding judge. The hearing record shall be deemed an 
enforcement document, and a copy thereof shall be delivered according to 
the procedures for service of court orders. The case shall terminate upon 
such agreement.  
3. The parties to the case, or their designees, may  have access to case 
documents or obtain copies thereof.  
Part 5: Appearance and Absence of Litigants  
Article 30  
1. If a process is served to a defendant in person, or to his representative, or if 
either of them appears before the commercial court at any hearing, or 
submits a defense memorandum, the hearing shall be deemed to have been 
conducted in the presence of the defendant, even if he fails to appear 
thereafter.  
2. If a defendant or his representative was not served in person and fails to 
appear before t he court, the court shall adjourn the hearing to a subsequent 
date, and serve the defendant thereof. If the defendant or his representative 
was not served in person for the second time and fails to appear, the court 
shall rule on the case, and its ruling a gainst the defendant shall be deemed 
to have been rendered in his presence.  
3. In all cases, a process served to a legal person in accordance with this Law 
shall be deemed a service in person.  
4. The Regulations shall specify the cases where a process is deemed not to 
have been served in person.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 11 Article 31  
1. If a claimant fails to appear at any hearing without a reason acceptable to 
the commercial court, the court may rule on the case at the request of the 
defendant if the case is ripe for judgment, and such ruling  shall be deemed 
to have been rendered in the presence of the claimant; if not, the court may 
dismiss the case without prejudice. A claimant may request the court to 
proceed with the case within 30 days from the date of said dismissal. If the 
claimant does  not file a petition to proceed with the case within said period 
or if he fails to appear before the court after reopening the case, the court 
shall, upon its own motion, issue a ruling considering the case to have not 
been filed.  
2. Paragraph (1) of this Art icle shall not apply to any hearing the court sets after 
the closing of arguments.  
Article 32  
For the application of the provisions of this Part, a person shall not be deemed 
absent if he appears prior to the end of the scheduled time of the hearing. The 
Regulations shall determine the provisions governing the duration of hearings 
and appearance of parties.  
Part 6: Summary Petitions  
Article 33  
A circuit of first instance may, pursuant to a decision by the Council, be 
established at the commercial court, an d shall be composed of a single judge 
with jurisdiction to consider summary petitions and other petitions determined 
by the Council.  
Article 34  
A summary petition shall be referred to the competent circuit immediately after 
filing, and shall be decided upo n within a period not exceeding three working 
days from the date of referral. A summary petition may, if necessary, be decided 
on in the presence of the applicant and without the presence of the other party.  
Article 35  
1. A court ruling issued with regard to summary petitions shall expire in the 
following cases:  
a) If the party in whose favor the ruling is issued fails to file the original claim 
within seven days from the date of issuance.  
b) If the claimant abandons the case, or the commercial court issue s a ruling 
considering the case to have not been filed, in accordance with this Law.  
c) If no judgment in favor of the claimant is rendered on the original petitions 
in the case related to the summary petition.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 12 2. Any concerned party may petition revocation of t he court ruling issued with 
regard to a summary petition in the following cases:  
a) The state of urgency ceases to exist.  
b) Suspension of case proceedings at the request of the litigants.  
c) Discontinuance of case proceedings.  
d) Dismissal of the case.  
The procedures for considering summary petitions shall apply to revocation 
petitions.  
Article 36  
Summary petitions shall apply to:  
1. inspection to verify an existing state;  
2. travel ban;  
3. suspension of new actions;  
4. receivership;  
5. provisional seizure;  
6. collection of a  sample of a product;  
7. seizure of certain documents;  
8. prevention or permission of disposition; and  
9. petitions deemed urgent under commercial laws.  
Article 37  
The commercial court may, upon considering a summary petition, require a 
security to indemnify the de fendant in case the claimant’s claim is found to have 
no merit. A ruling indemnifying the defendant shall be rendered along with the 
ruling on the subject matter.  
Part 7: Evidence  
Chapter 1: General Provisions  
Article 38  
1. Absent a specific provision in commercial laws, the provisions of this Chapter 
shall apply to evidentiary procedures in cases falling within the jurisdiction of 
the commercial court.  
2. No specific evidentiary form shall be required to prove liability, unless the 
parties agree  otherwise.  
3. The court may acknowledge evidentiary procedures applied in a foreign 
country, provided that such procedures do not violate public policy.  
4. Without prejudice to public policy, if the parties agree on specific evidentiary 
rules, the court shall v alidate their agreement.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 13 5. Where this Law is silent, the parties may agree on shifting the burden of 
proof.  
Article 39  
The commercial court may, pursuant to a decision established in the hearing 
record, abandon the evidentiary procedures it has ordered or di sregard their 
outcomes; in such cases, the court shall provide justification.  
Chapter 2: Admission  
Article 40  
1. An admission shall be deemed judicial if a party admits before the 
commercial court the occurrence of an incident relating to a case being 
consid ered thereby.  
2. The provision of paragraph (1) of this Article shall apply to any admission 
made during the procedures for preparation of the case or exchange of 
memoranda.  
3. The court may deduce judicial admission from written evidence submitted in 
a case und er its consideration.  
Article 41  
The commercial court may assess non -judicial admissions based on 
procedures taken to authenticate such admissions.  
Chapter 3: Writing  
Article 42  
1. A party shall be bound by the statements he provides in official documents, 
unless proven false.  
2. An ordinary paper shall be deemed to have been issued by the person to 
whom it is ascribed, unless he explicitly denies that the handwriting, 
signature, seal, or fingerprint therein belongs to him.  
Article 43  
1. A copy of a do cument shall be deemed an identical copy unless disputed by 
a concerned party; in such case, the copy shall be compared against the 
original.  
2. A copy of a document disputed by a concerned party which cannot be 
compared against the original may be used as p resumptive evidence if:  
a) it is kept with a government agency;  
b) its data is recorded with a government agency;   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 14 c) the litigant argues its content before denying its authenticity; or  
d) it is supported by another proof.  
Article 44  
Correspondence, whether signed or proven to belong to its sender, shall be 
deemed an ordinary paper, unless the sender proves that he neither sent the 
message nor assigned another person to send it.  
Article 45  
A creditor shall be bound by a handwritten and unsigned indorsement he  makes 
on a deed of debt indicating the debtor's clearance of debt, unless proven 
otherwise.  
Article 46  
1. A party shall have the right to request or have access to case -relevant 
documents in possession of the other party if such documents are:  
a) clearly define d per se or by their type;  
b) related to a commercial transaction or lead to the truth therein; and  
c) non-confidential in nature.  
2. If a party declines to comply with the commercial court’s order to provide the 
other party with the requested documents in accordan ce with paragraph (1) 
of this Article, the court may deem his decline a presumption.  
3. The court, at the request of any of the parties, may:  
a) order the joinder of another party to provide a case -related document in 
his possession; and  
b) order any government agency to provide case -related information or 
documents in its possession, without prejudice to relevant laws.  
Article 47  
Any concerned party may file a petition with the commercial court to recover a 
document he claims belongs to him or to prov e that the purpose of such 
document ceases to exist. The court shall order recovery of said document in 
accordance with Part 7 of this Law.  
Chapter 4: Testimony  
Article 48  
1. The commercial court shall assess the testimony given by witnesses based 
on their integrity, behavior, and conduct, as well as other case 
circumstances, without the need to attest witnesses.  
2. If a testimony does not correspond to the facts of the case, or if the witnesses’  Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 15 testimonies do not match with one another, the court may on ly accept the 
parts it deems to be true.  
Article 49  
1. Testimony may be provided by the parties in writing.  
2. A witness shall, prior to giving his testimony, disclose any relationship with 
the parties to the case that may affect his testimony or any interest therein.  
Article 50  
1. The commercial court may, on its own motion, direct to the witness questions 
it deems conducive to revealing the truth.  
2. The litigant may directly question a witness in accordance with rules set by 
the Regulations.  
Article 51  
The Regulations shall determine the provisions relating to the use of modern 
methods for hearing testimonies and the process for notarizing them prior to 
filing the case.  
Chapter 5: Oath  
Article 52  
1. A party may request that the other party take an oath. The  commercial court 
may deny the party’s request if it decides that there are no grounds therefor, 
or if evidence submitted by the requested party is sufficient to support his 
defense.  
2. The court may, on its own motion, order any of the parties to take an oat h. 
3. The Regulations shall determine the provisions of requesting and of taking 
an oath.  
Article 53  
If the commercial court rules on the case based on the refusal of any of the 
parties to take an oath upon request, such party shall not be permitted to take 
an oath thereafter.  
Chapter 6: Cross -examination  
Article 54  
Any party may directly examine the oth er party in accordance with rules and 
procedures set by the Regulations.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 16 Chapter 7: Electronic Evidence  
Article 55  
1. Electronic evidence may be deemed acceptable proof to substantiate facts, 
and the Regulations shall determine the methods for verification a nd 
submission thereof.  
2. Electronic evidence shall include:  
a) electronic documents;  
b) electronic media;  
c) means of communication;  
d) e-mails;  
e) electronic records; and  
f) any electronic evidence to be determined by the Regulations.  
Chapter 8: Expert Witness  
Article 56  
The Minister shall, in coordination with the Council, issue rules relating to the 
testimonies of expert witnesses before the commercial court, provided they 
include the following:  
1. Procedures for selecting and engaging expert witnesses.  
2. Assessment of fees a nd expenses of expert witnesses.  
3. Duties and scope of work of expert witnesses.  
4. Monitoring of the work of expert witnesses.  
5. Procedures for the court’s expert witness departments.  
Chapter 9: Commercial Custom  
Article 57  
Absent a specific provision and where there is no agreement between the 
parties, commercial custom or common practice between the parties may 
apply. The party arguing a custom or practice shall bear the burden of proving 
its existence.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 17 Part 8: Issuance of Judgments  
Article 58  
1. The commerc ial court may declare the closing of arguments in the case if 
the parties have provided their closing arguments or have been granted the 
opportunity to complete their claims and defenses in accordance with this 
Law and if the case is ripe for judgment. No further arguments shall be 
allowed, unless a reasoned decision is issued and entered into the hearing 
record.  
2. The court may, upon closing of arguments in the case, permit the parties to 
submit supplementary memoranda to complete or elaborate on earlier 
submissions.  
Article 59  
1. Deliberations of judgments among judges shall be in confidence. If the 
commercial court decides to hear the claim and the defense verbally, the 
judges who attended the hearing must take part in the deliberations.  
2. Judgments shall be issued by majority opinion and shall be deemed issued 
by the circuit; dissenting opinions shall be provided with justification.  
Article 60  
1. The commercial court shall, upon pronouncing the judgment, deposit in the 
case file a draft of th e judgment pronouncement and reasoning signed by 
the judges. However, the court may pronounce the judgment without 
depositing such draft in the case file, as determined by the Regulations.  
2. If the court decides to defer the pronouncement of the judgment, it  shall 
declare its decision at the hearing and enter the reason therefor into the 
hearing record, and shall set another date to pronounce the judgment. In all 
cases, pronouncement of the judgment may not be deferred more than once.  
Article 61  
Subject to Ar ticle 59 of this Law, a judgment shall be pronounced in an open 
hearing and must be attended by the judges who took part in the deliberations. 
The absence of a judge who has signed the draft judgment shall not preclude 
the commercial court from pronouncing  the judgment.  
A date to deliver a copy of the judgment shall be set after the judgment is 
pronounced, provided such date does not exceed 20 days from the date of 
pronouncement.  
Article 62  
1. A copy of the judgment shall indicate:  
a) the issuing commercial court and circuit, date of issuance, and judges who 
took part in the judgment;  
b) names and capacities of the parties;   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 18 c) a summary of the facts of the case and claims and primary defenses of 
the parties; and  
d) judgment reasoning and pronouncement.  
2. The original copy of the judgment shall be signed by the head of the circuit, 
the judges who took part in the judgment, and the clerk, and shall be 
deposited in the case file prior to the date set for the delivery of a copy 
thereof.  
3. The Regulations shall deter mine the decisions and orders that require only 
entering the results of the deliberations into the case record.  
Article 63  
A non -enforceable copy of the judgment shall be signed by the officer in charge, 
sealed with the commercial court’s seal, and deliver ed to any concerned party 
that requests such copy, in accordance with the Regulations.  
Article 64  
An enforceable copy of the judgment shall be appended by the enforcement 
statement, signed by the court officer in charge, sealed with the commercial 
court’s seal, and delivered only to the party seeking to enforce the judgment.  
The court may, in the case s requiring expeditious execution, order the 
enforcement of a judgment by virtue of its draft.  
Article 65  
1. The commercial court’s judgments or orders shall be subject to expeditious 
execution in the following cases:  
a) If the judgment or order is issued in an urgent case.  
b) Debt satisfaction orders according to the provisions of this Law.  
2. The court may, upon the request of the party in whose favor the judgment is 
rendered, decide to expeditiously enforce the judgment in the following 
cases:  
a) If delayed enforcem ent would result in grave damage.  
b) If the judgment is based on admission of the claimed right or based on an 
ordinary paper not disputed by the person against whom the judgment is 
rendered.  
Article 66  
The commercial court rendering the final judgment shall consider petitions for 
correction or interpretation of judgments or orders.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 19 Part 9: Debt Satisfaction Orders  
Article 67  
Notwithstanding the general rules of filing cases, a creditor may file with the 
commercial court a petition to issue a de bt satisfaction order if the debt is:  
1. established in writing;  
2. due; or  
3. a fixed amount of money, a specified movable in type and amount, or 
unequivocally defined . 
Article 68  
A creditor shall serve the debtor a written notice to satisfy the debt at least five  
days prior to filing a petition with the commercial court to issue a debt 
satisfaction order. The notice shall include the date on which the creditor 
intends to file the petition.  
Article 69  
A petition for a debt satisfaction order shall include:  
1. facts and grounds thereof and the debtor’s full name and address;  
2. proof of delivery of a notice for satisfaction of debt; and  
3. any other information determined by the Regulations.  
Article 70  
The circuit shall decide on the petition by an order issued within  10 days from 
the petition filing date. The order shall indicate the debt, be it an amount of 
money or a movable. If the circuit denies the petition, its decision shall be 
deemed final, without prejudice to the creditor's right to file a case in accordance  
with applicable rules.  
Article 71  
1. A debtor may, in accordance with the applicable procedures for filing a case, 
appeal the debt satisfaction order before the competent court within 15 days 
from the date of notification, provided such appeal is reasoned. T he appellant 
shall be deemed a claimant, and the rules and procedures for considering a 
case shall apply to considering an appeal.  
2. The commercial court may, pursuant to a reasoned decision, stay the 
expeditious enforcement of the debt satisfaction order if  petitioned and if 
enforcement of the judgment may result in grave damage.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 20 Part 10: Appeals  
Chapter 1: General Provisions  
Article 72  
Absent a specific provision, the procedures applied in circuits of first instance 
shall apply to appellate circuits and the  commercial circuit at the Supreme 
Court; this shall include the provisions related to:  
1. procedures governing appearance of parties;  
2. procedures for case preparation; and  
3. procedures for rendering judgments.  
Article 73  
The Regulations shall determine the appeals to be filed by a lawyer.  
Article 74  
1. Unless this Law stipulates otherwise, only the party against whom a 
judgment is rendered or whose petitions are not fully granted may appeal the 
judgment.  
2. The parties may agree, even prior to filing a case, that the judgment issued 
by the circuit of first instance be final.  
3. Appeals to judgments which are issued prior to deciding on the case and 
which do not fully or partially end the dispute shall be filed in conjunction with 
the appeal to judgment on the merits.  
However, a party may, prior to the issuance of a judgment on the merit, appeal 
against judgments staying the case and against judgments relating to lack of 
jurisdiction, case hearing, and invocation of arbitration clause, as well as 
provisional and summar y rulings.  
4. Appeals against judgments to which expeditious enforcement applies shall 
not result in a stay of execution.  
5. The appellant shall not be harmed by his appeal.  
Article 75  
In cases of appeal, notices shall be served to the address registered in the case 
file. 
Article 76  
1. A copy of the judgment rendered on an appeal shall, in addition to the basic 
information stipulated in Article 62 of this Law, include:  
a) a summary of the appeal which includes: petitions of the appellant, 
pronouncement of the judgment, grounds of the appeal, and claims in the 
original case; and   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 21 b) a response to the primary defenses in the appeal, unless such response 
is already included in the appealed judgment.  
2. The facts and reasoning of the appealed judgment may be cited if the y are 
sufficient for citation.  
Article 77  
Final judgments, which have acquired res judicata , shall have the authority to 
end the dispute; such judgment shall have such authority only if the dispute 
involves the same parties with the same capacity and relates to the same 
subject matter. The commercial court shall cite this authority on its own mo tion.  
Chapter 2: Appeal  
Article 78  
1. Absent a specific provision, all judgments and decisions issued by the 
circuits of first instance at the commercial court shall be appealable, except 
for judgments in cases which do not exceed 50,000 riyals, as determined by 
the Council.  
2. The Council shall determine the judgments the appeals of which are 
reviewed without hearings.  
3. If the judgment reviewed without a hearing, as specified in paragraph (2) of 
this Article, is consistent with its reasoning, the court  shall affirm such 
judgment and may add additional reasoning; however, if the court revokes 
such judgment, it shall rule on the revoked part after conducting a hearing 
thereon. In all cases, the court shall not uphold a judgment or render a 
judgment after the revocation, except in an open hearing of which the parties 
are notified.  
Article 79  
1. Judgments may be appealed within 30 days from the date specified for 
delivery of the copy of the judgment.  
2. Judgments on lack of jurisdiction and judgments in urgent cas es may be 
appealed within 10 days from the date specified for delivery of the copy of 
the judgment.  
3. The relevant department shall refer the appeal stipulated in paragraph (2) of 
this Article on the day following the date of filing to the appellate circuit  which 
shall decide thereon within five working days from the date of receipt.  
4. A final judgment rendered on the territorial or subject -matter jurisdiction of 
the commercial court may not be appealed.  
Article 80  
The appellate circuit of the commercial cour t composed of a single judge shall 
have the jurisdiction to consider:  
1. appeals to judgments and decisions issued by circuits of first instance  Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 22 composed of a single judge relating to urgent cases and petitions;  
2. appeals to debt satisfaction orders issued unde r this Law;  
3. appeals to judgments of case termination or abandonment; and  
4. other appeals determined by the Council.  
Article 81  
1. An appeal shall be filed by means of a memorandum deposited by the 
appellant or his representative with the relevant department. Said 
memorandum shall include particulars of the appealed judgment, grounds 
for appeal, claims of the appellant, and any other information determined by 
the Regulations.  
2. The relevant department shall register the petition for appeal; set, as th e 
case may be, a date for its hearing immediately after filing; refer it to the 
appellate circuit along with the case file; and notify the appellee of the 
memorandum of the appeal.  
Article 82  
1. An appeal shall restore the case to the status it had prior to t he issuance of 
the judgment in relation to the appealed parts thereof. The commercial court 
shall review the appeal on the basis of the submissions made to the circuit 
of first instance that rendered the judgment and any pleadings and defenses 
the court ac cepts.  
2. Subject to paragraph (1) of this Article, a judgment ending the dispute may 
be appealed along with all previous rulings issued in the same case.  
3. New demands may not be accepted in the appeal, and the court of appeals 
shall have the jurisdiction not  to accept such demands; however, additional 
damages, profits, or payments which became due after the final demands 
were submitted may be added to the original petition.  
Article 83  
An appellee may, prior to closing of arguments, file a counter appeal which  shall 
be linked to the original appeal, in accordance with the applicable procedures 
or by a memorandum that includes grounds for his appeal.  
Article 84  
If an appellant fails to appear at the scheduled hearing, the commercial court 
may:  
1. rule on the appeal  if the case is ripe for judgment or if the appellee so 
requests; and  
2. adjourn the hearing for a period not exceeding 30 days. If the appellant fails 
to appear again, it shall, on its own motion, rule on the appeal as null and 
void.  
Article 85  
1. An appellate circuit shall, in case of revoking the judgment in the original 
petition, refer the case back to the circuit of first instance to decide on  Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 23 alternative demands.  
2. If an appellate circuit revokes a judgment relating to lack of jurisdiction, 
inadmiss ibility to review a case, non -hearing of a case due to the lapse of 
the statutory period, dismissal of a case in form, or admission of a partial 
defense ending court proceedings, it shall refer the case back to the issuing 
circuit to rule on the subject ma tter. 
Chapter 3: Motion for Reconsideration  
Article 86  
A motion for reconsideration of final judgments, rendered pursuant to this Law, 
may be filed in the cases provided for in the Law of Civil Procedure.  
Article 87  
A motion for reconsideration shall be ma de by means of a memorandum filed 
by the petitioner or his representative with the commercial court that rendered 
the final judgment, in accordance with applicable case -filing procedures. Such 
memorandum shall contain the particulars of the judgment sought  to be 
reconsidered, a summary thereof, and the grounds for said motion.  
Chapter 4: Cassation  
Article 88  
The commercial circuit at the Supreme Court shall have jurisdiction to review 
appeals to judgments and decisions made by appellate circuits if the subj ect of 
the appeal is:  
1. a violation, misapplication, or misinterpretation of the provisions of Sharia or 
law, or a breach of any of the Supreme Court judicial principles;  
2. a judgment rendered by an incompetent court, or by a court not properly 
formed in accor dance with the law;  
3. a fault in characterizing or describing a case; and  
4. a rendered judgment that ended a dispute in contrary to a previous judgment 
involving the same parties.  
Article 89  
An appeal before the Supreme Court shall not result in a stay of exec ution. The 
Supreme Court may, however, order a stay of execution if requested in the 
memorandum of appeal and if it deems the execution of said judgment would 
result in irreparable harm.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 24 Article 90  
A circuit judge shall review the appeal, prepare a brief report indicating the 
grounds for the appeal and responses thereto, and submit the same to the 
circuit. If the circuit decides that the appeal is inadmissible or unacceptable due 
to the lapse of the period set for appeal, or to the fact that it was b ased on 
grounds other than those stipulated in this Law, it shall dismiss such appeal 
pursuant to a reasoned decision to be entered in the hearing record.  
If the circuit determines that the appeal has merit, it shall set a hearing for 
considering it; in su ch case, the circuit may order the parties to exchange 
memoranda.  
Article 91  
The circuit may, if necessary, hold a hearing session where the parties can 
present their defenses orally. The parties may not provide reasons other than 
those stated in the appea l papers, unless such reasons pertain to public policy. 
The circuit may, as an exception, permit the parties to submit complementary 
memoranda if it is necessary for deciding the appeal, and shall set a date for 
the submission thereof.  
Article 92  
If a cir cuit revokes an appealed judgment on grounds of lack of jurisdiction, it 
shall decide on the jurisdiction, and shall, if necessary, refer the case to the 
competent court.  
If the circuit revokes the judgment for other reasons, it shall refer the case to 
the court that issued the appealed judgment to rule anew thereon by a different 
judge. In such case, the court to which the case is referred shall follow the same 
principle set by the Supreme Court in deciding such case.  
If the court, however, decides to rev oke the appealed judgment and the case is 
ripe for judgment, it shall issue a ruling thereon.  
Part 11: Final Provisions  
Article 93  
Where this Law is silent, the Law of Civil Procedure shall apply to cases falling 
under the jurisdiction of the commercial court, taking into account the nature of 
commercial cases.  
Article 94  
1. The Council shall issue rules for appointing judges to commercial courts.  
2. The relevant department at the Ministry shall publish commercial judgments 
upon becoming final, and m ay outsource the same to the private sector 
pursuant to a decision by the Minister.   Law of Commercial Courts  
 
 
 
 25 3. A unit for commercial judiciary studies shall be established at the Ministry to 
be composed of a number of judges, specialists, and researchers. Such unit 
shall conduct stu dies and research on commercial judiciary, follow up on the 
requirements to enforce this Law and its Regulations, and provide opinion 
on issues and matters referred thereto.  
Article 95  
The Minister shall, in coordination with the Council, issue the Regulat ions and 
the decisions necessary for the implementation of this Law. The Regulations 
and the decisions shall be published in the Official Gazette and shall enter into 
force thereafter.  
Article 96  
This Law shall enter into force 60 days following its public ation in the Official 
Gazette, and shall repeal any provisions conflicting therewith.