محامي تعويضات وقضايا المحاكم العامة في الرياض – أسس المحاماة

In a Saudi court, or on Najiz (ناجز, the Ministry of Justice e-services platform), you will meet words that are not used in everyday life. Court proceedings and documents are in Arabic, so even English speakers come across these terms in their own cases. This guide to Saudi legal terms collects the ones people ask about most: each entry gives the Arabic term, its transliteration and a short plain-English meaning, with a link to the full explanation where one exists.

Litigation and the courts

صحيفة الدعوى (sahifat al-da’wa): statement of claim
The written application that starts a case. It sets out the parties’ details, the facts, the requests and their legal basis. How to write one
المدعي والمدعى عليه (al-mudda’i wal-mudda’a alayh): claimant and defendant
The claimant is the person who files the claim and demands a right; the defendant is the person the claim is filed against.
الاختصاص (al-ikhtisas): jurisdiction
A court’s authority to hear a case: by subject matter, according to what the case is about, and by location, according to where it arises.
الدفع (al-daf’): defence or plea
A party’s answer to the claim: either procedural, such as lack of jurisdiction, or substantive, concerning the right itself.
شطب الدعوى (shatb al-da’wa): striking out a case
Halting the case, usually because the claimant did not attend. The case can be revived on request as the law allows.
الحكم الابتدائي (al-hukm al-ibtida’i): first-instance judgment
A judgment issued by the court of first instance. It can be challenged within the statutory period.
الحكم المكتسب للقطعية (al-hukm al-muktasib lil-qat’iya): final judgment
A final judgment that can no longer be challenged by ordinary means, either because the objection period has ended or because it has been upheld.
الاستئناف (al-isti’naf): appeal
An objection to a judgment before the Court of Appeal so that it can be reviewed. Periods and routes
النقض (al-naqd): cassation
An objection to a judgment before the Supreme Court in specific cases, such as a breach of Sharia or of the law.
التماس إعادة النظر (iltimas i’adat al-nazar): petition for reconsideration
An exceptional route for challenging a final judgment in specific cases, such as a decisive document coming to light after the judgment.
الوكالة الشرعية (al-wakala al-shar’iya): power of attorney
A documented authorisation that allows an agent or lawyer to act or plead on the client’s behalf.
التسوية الودية (al-taswiya al-widdiya): amicable settlement
Resolving a dispute by agreement between the parties, before or during court proceedings; the agreement is recorded in a settlement deed. Details

Evidence

البينة (al-bayyina): evidence
The proof by which a claimant establishes their claim. The rule is that the burden of proof lies on the person making the claim. The Law of Evidence explained
الإقرار (al-iqrar): admission
A party’s acknowledgement of a right against them; it is binding on the person who makes it.
اليمين الحاسمة (al-yamin al-hasima): decisive oath
An oath one party puts to the other to settle the dispute when there is no other evidence.
الدليل الرقمي (al-dalil al-raqmi): digital evidence
Messages, records and electronic data accepted as evidence under the law.
الخبرة (al-khibra): expert evidence
The court’s use of an expert on a technical question, such as accounting, engineering or handwriting comparison.

Enforcement

السند التنفيذي (al-sanad al-tanfidhi): enforceable instrument
A document that can be enforced directly without a lawsuit, such as a final judgment, a promissory note, a cheque or a registered lease. The Enforcement Court
طلب التنفيذ (talab al-tanfidh): enforcement application
The application the holder of an enforceable instrument submits to the Enforcement Court to recover their right.
منازعة التنفيذ (munaza’at al-tanfidh): enforcement dispute
An objection by the person being enforced against on a legal ground, such as earlier payment or an invalid instrument.
إيقاف الخدمات (iqaf al-khadamat): suspension of services
A measure taken against a debtor who refuses to comply with enforcement. Reasons and how to lift it
الإعسار (al-i’sar): insolvency
A debtor’s genuine inability to pay their debts. It has different rules from those for a debtor who is able to pay but delays.
السند لأمر (al-sanad li-amr): promissory note
A commercial instrument in which the maker undertakes to pay a set amount on a set date. Explanation

Employment

مكافأة نهاية الخدمة (mukafa’at nihayat al-khidma): end-of-service award
An amount a worker is entitled to when the employment relationship ends, based on the length of service and the reason for the ending. Calculate it
الإنهاء لسبب غير مشروع (al-inha’ li-sabab ghayr mashru’): termination for an illegitimate reason
Dismissing a worker without a reason the law recognises; the worker is entitled to compensation under Article 77. Calculate the compensation
عدم سماع الدعوى (‘adam sama’ al-da’wa): time bar
The expiry of the period within which a claim must be filed, after which the court will not hear it. For labour rights it is twelve months from the end of the employment relationship.

Family and inheritance

الخلع (al-khul’): khula
A separation requested by the wife in return for a payment she returns to the husband. Conditions and steps
الحضانة (al-hadana): custody
Caring for a child and running their daily life; it is different from guardianship (wilaya). Custody and maintenance
صك حصر الورثة (sak hasr al-waratha): heirship deed
An official document that names the deceased’s heirs. How to obtain one
العول والرد (al-‘awl wal-radd): proportional reduction and return
‘Awl: reducing all heirs’ shares in the same proportion when the fixed shares add up to more than the estate. Radd: returning the remainder to the holders of fixed shares when there is no residuary heir. Inheritance calculator

Can’t find the term you are looking for? Ask your question free of charge or browse the sections of our legal blog. Usus Law Firm advises clients in Riyadh and Tabuk, in Arabic and English.

Read also: Jurisdiction table: which court hears your case.