Judicial System

Judicial System in Saudi Arabia
legal cases where the state is a party, while the general courts
hear and try all other types of legal cases, save for certain
types of disputes entrusted to other specialized committees
and tribunals such as the Committee for Banking Disputes
and the Committee for Resolution of Securities Disputes,
the Customs Committee which is hoped to join the general
courts regime soon as provided for under the Royal Decree
No. M/78 dated 19/09/1428H (corresponding to 30/09 2007).
Structure of the General Courts Institutions:
The judicial system of any state requires a number of
laws dealing with the judicial affairs in a comprehensive
and systematic manner. In Saudi Arabia, the advent of the
Judiciary Law under the Royal Decree No. M/78 dated
19/09/2008 has commenced a new era in the Saudi legal
system. The Judiciary Law distributes the jurisdictions and
tasks between judicial authorities/ bodies irrespective of
whether such jurisdictions relate to administrative matters,
the judges, the judicial environment, or to the substantive
aspects of the judicial process. Below is a brief account of
the judicial institutions of the Saudi legal system.
First: The Supreme Judicial Council:
The Judiciary Law details the jurisdictions of the Supreme
Judicial Council (formerly, the Supreme Council of the
Judiciary) which have been changed fundamentally. The
changes were represented mainly in removal of the substantive
aspects and maintaining the administrative aspects only. The
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