Saudi judicial inspection

Saudi judicial inspection

Disclaimer: This is a legal article that provides information that does not replace consulting a competent lawyer to help you and for more accurate information.

Would you like to know the authority responsible for receiving complaints related to judicial work, and how to submit them in accordance with the regulations in force in the Kingdom? The Saudi Judicial Inspection Regulations clarify the mechanisms for monitoring the performance of judges and verifying compliance with judicial systems and controls, which contributes to enhancing integrity and raising the efficiency of judicial work.

What is meant by Saudi judicial inspection?

Article 1 of the Judicial Inspection Regulations defines what is meant by inspection as reviewing the work of the inspector, examining it, and monitoring his performance, to collect data and information that leads to knowing his competence and the extent of his keenness to perform his job duties. 

Every judge in the courts of first instance and appeal is subject to judicial inspection.

Saudi judicial inspections are carried out by a judicial inspector whose rank is higher than that of the judge being inspected.

What are the most important tasks of the Judicial Inspection Department of the Board of Grievances?

The Judicial Inspection Department is responsible for carrying out the tasks stipulated in Article 12 of the Regulations, which are:

• Periodic inspection of judges of first instance and appeal courts.
• Emergency and partial inspection of judges’ work.
• Direct inspection of the work of court judges during the first year from the date of their commencement of work.
• Evaluation and follow-up of judicial lieutenants and their work.
• Examining complaints filed by or against judges in matters related to their work.
• Investigating complaints filed by or against judges.
• Preparing the disciplinary action document.
• Monitoring the progress of work in the courts and verifying its regularity.
• Review a summary of court work and statistics in the law.
• Assigning one or more inspectors to determine the facts that the interest requires to determine urgently.
• Preparing the annual plan for inspecting the work of judges subject to inspection.
• Monitoring problems, difficulties and obstacles that hinder the judicial process.
• Proposing means and procedures for quality and development of judicial performance.
• Preparing studies and proposals that would raise the level of performance in Saudi judicial inspection.
•  Any other work entrusted to the Supreme Judicial Council.

What does a judicial inspection report include?

What does a judicial inspection report include?

The inspector’s report must contain the data stipulated in Article 20 of the Judicial Inspection Regulations, which are:

• Report number and date.
• Name of the inspected judge, his judicial rank, name of the court, his position in the court, his place of work and the time of the inspection.
• The observations that appeared to the inspector on the work of the judge being inspected.
• Document of the observations or explanation of their observation, attaching a copy of the location of the observation.
• Case registration number, date, seizure number or register, and its newspaper.
• The positive and negative aspects that appeared to the inspector from the work of the judge inspecting him.
• Estimating the degree of adequacy of the judge being inspected.

After completing its report, the inspector submits it to the competent department. The department then forms a committee to examine the reports issued by the inspectors and their attachments and issue a decision to approve or reject the report, stating the reason for rejection in accordance with Articles 23 and 25 of the Judicial Inspection Regulations.

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How does a judge file an objection to a judicial inspection report?

The judge may submit his objection to the inspector’s report and the committee’s decision in writing to the Judicial Inspection Department of the Board of Grievances within 30 days from the date of notification of the report’s findings and the committee’s decision. Otherwise, his right to object will be forfeited in accordance with Article 28 of the Regulations.

The inspected judge’s objection must include the following data:

• Committee decision number and date.
• Inspector’s report number and date.
• Objected notes.
• Reasons supporting the objection.
• The judge’s signature at the end of each objection paper.

What are the steps for filing a judicial inspection complaint?

What are the steps for filing a judicial inspection complaint?

The beneficiary, whether a judge or otherwise, can submit a judicial inspection complaint electronically through the Supreme Judicial Council website by following these steps:

• Visit the Supreme Judicial Council website.
• From electronic services, choose a service “electronic complaint“
• Press “Start Service”
• Log in through your National Unified Access Account.
• Fill in the complainant’s personal data and description.
• Verify case data.
• Enter the facts of the complaint and the complainant’s requests.
• Submit the application.

How to communicate with the judicial inspection?

The Supreme Judicial Council website allows beneficiaries to communicate with the judicial inspection through the electronic complaint service or submit a request through the communication and support center to answer beneficiaries’ inquiries and guide them to the optimal solution.

You can also book an appointment and visit the Council’s headquarters according to the times available on the website.

Understanding the Saudi Judicial Inspection Regulations and complaints procedures contributes to enhancing awareness of the rights and controls regulating judicial work.