A first-instance judgment is not the end of the road. The law gives the losing party the right to object before the Court of Appeal, but only within a fixed period. Once that period lapses, the right to object is lost and the judgment becomes final.
The statutory period
Article 187 of the Law of Sharia Procedure provides that the period for objecting by way of appeal or cassation review is thirty days, except for judgments issued in urgent matters, where the period is ten days.
The period runs from the date the judgment copy is received, or the date set for receiving it, as specified in the law.
What if the deadline is missed?
If no objection is filed within the statutory period, the right to request appeal or review is forfeited, the judgment becomes final and it can be enforced. Calculating the deadline accurately is therefore critical as soon as judgment is issued.
Practical tips
- Check your Najiz account as soon as judgment is pronounced and note when the judgment deed is filed.
- Don’t wait for the last days. A strong objection memorandum needs time to analyse and answer the court’s reasoning.
- Focus on the judgment’s reasoning and show where it went wrong, citing the statutory text for each ground.
- Check which court issued the judgment. Some specialised courts are governed by their own procedural rules with different deadlines.
If a judgment has been issued against you and you want to assess your options, contact us early, before time runs short.
This article is for general awareness and does not constitute legal advice. Contact us for an opinion on your specific case.