Translation of the attached article:
The Board of Grievances Administrative Court in Saudi Arabia is the competent authority for hearing administrative disputes and rights related to government entities. Therefore, many individuals and companies are interested in understanding its jurisdictions and how to file lawsuits before it correctly.
Due to the different types of cases and legal procedures, understanding the jurisdiction of the Board of Grievances Administrative Court is an essential step to avoid legal mistakes that may affect the progress and outcome of the lawsuit, which we will explain in this article.
What Is the Board of Grievances in Saudi Arabia?
The Board of Grievances is an independent judicial body in Saudi Arabia and is considered an important part of the administrative judicial system. Its role is to hear administrative cases and grievances against government decisions, helping ensure and protect individuals’ rights against any unlawful decisions or violations.
Its importance lies in providing citizens and residents in the Kingdom with a legal means to challenge administrative decisions that affect their rights, which helps strengthen the rule of law and ensure justice.
The Structure of the Board of Grievances and Its Courts
The Board of Grievances consists of several administrative courts of different levels, starting from first-instance administrative courts up to the Supreme Administrative Court. The details of these courts and their jurisdictions are as follows:
Administrative Court:
This court consists of a president and several judges. The number of judges may be one judge or three. Its jurisdictions include the following:
- Hearing lawsuits and complaints related to the rights of employees, public entities, and government employees under the military service system, civil service system, and retirement system.
- Compensation lawsuits related to actions of public administrative bodies.
- Disciplinary lawsuits.
- Lawsuits related to contracts in which the administration is a party.
- All administrative disputes.
- Requests to enforce foreign judicial judgments.
Administrative Court of Appeal:
It consists of three judges, including the court president. Its jurisdictions include:
- Issuing decisions after hearing the parties’ statements in accordance with the applicable legal procedures.
- Reviewing judgments issued by administrative courts that are subject to appeal.
Supreme Administrative Court:
It consists of three judges along with the president, and its headquarters is in Riyadh. The president of the court is appointed by royal order and holds the rank of minister. Its jurisdiction is to hear appeals filed against judgments issued by administrative courts of appeal in the following cases:
- Violation by the judicial authority of laws, regulations, or Islamic Sharia.
- Violation of an established judicial principle.
- Error in the legal characterization or legal description of the lawsuit.
- A judgment issued by a court not formed in accordance with the laws governing the Board of Grievances, or issued by an unauthorized authority.
- The existence of a previous final judgment under the Board of Grievances system.
Jurisdictions of the Board of Grievances Under the Saudi System
The Board of Grievances has many jurisdictions under the Saudi system, including:
- Administrative cases.
- Compensation cases.
- Employment cases.
- Cancellation of decisions.
- Contracts.
Does Your Case Fall Within the Jurisdiction of the Board of Grievances?
The Board of Grievances Administrative Court handles many cases, and its legal specializations vary to cover all areas related to government activities. Below, we explain the lawsuits that fall within its jurisdiction:
- Lawsuits related to rights defined under the military service system, civil service system, and retirement system.
- Lawsuits seeking cancellation of final administrative decisions if the basis of the challenge is a defect in the reason, form, or lack of jurisdiction.
- Compensation lawsuits for acts or decisions issued by an administrative entity.
- Disciplinary lawsuits.
- Lawsuits concerning contracts in which the administrative entity is a party.
- Foreign arbitral awards and requests to enforce foreign judgments.
- Other administrative disputes.
How to File a Lawsuit Before the Board of Grievances Step by Step
Filing a lawsuit before the Board of Grievances requires following precise legal procedures to ensure that it is accepted by the court. The steps for filing the lawsuit are as follows:
- First, you must ensure that the case falls within the jurisdiction of the Board of Grievances.
- Collect all documents supporting your lawsuit, such as contracts, government decisions, or other legal documents.
- The administrative court lawyer drafts the statement of claim for the administrative court in accordance with the approved legal principles.
- The lawsuit can be submitted electronically through the Muin platform, which is the legal interface of the Board of Grievances, or it can be submitted traditionally at the court.
- After submitting the lawsuit, you will receive a notice of the date set for hearing the case.
When Do You Need a Lawyer Specialized in Board of Grievances Cases?
There are certain cases that require a lawyer specialized in Board of Grievances cases. The most important of these cases include:
- If the case concerns challenging an administrative decision issued by a government entity.
- If the case is related to a government contract or a project with a government entity.
- If the lawsuit includes financial claims or large compensation amounts.
- If you are a government employee and there are employment disputes related to promotion, penalties, or termination of service.
- If there is complexity in the procedures or difficulty in determining the competent judicial authority.
- If you need to prepare a grievance or statement of claim with strong legal drafting.
- If the administrative grievance is rejected and you need to escalate the case before the administrative court.
Common Mistakes When Dealing with the Board of Grievances
There are some mistakes people make when dealing with the Board of Grievances. Avoiding them helps protect individuals’ rights and improves the chance of accepting the lawsuit. These mistakes include:
- Filing the lawsuit before a court that lacks jurisdiction.
- Submitting a weak or unclear statement of claim.
- Exceeding the statutory period specified for filing a grievance or lawsuit.
- Failing to attach sufficient evidence and documents.
- Ignoring the administrative grievance in cases where it is required.
- Failing to follow up on hearings or respond to judicial requests and memoranda.
- Delaying the required procedures during the course of the lawsuit.
You can also review and extract more information about Administrative Judiciary – Board of Grievances from our legal library.
The Most Important Legal Services Provided by a Board of Grievances Lawyer
If you have been subjected to an unfair administrative decision or feel that your rights have been violated, you can appoint a lawyer specialized in the Board of Grievances, due to the many legal services they can provide, including:
- Representing you before the Board of Grievances courts and resolving all your legal problems related to administrative decisions.
- Providing the required legal consultations to resolve all your legal issues with your employer, whether related to your government contracts or your rights as an employee, and helping you obtain all your rights.
- Helping you prepare and submit the lawsuit correctly, and following it up until the final judgment is issued.
- Preparing the necessary legal documents, whether to object to a previous judgment or to file a lawsuit before the Board of Grievances.
- Drafting legal memoranda properly in a way that increases the chance of success of your case.
- Providing effective and fast solutions for government contracts and administrative disputes by negotiating the dispute amicably, which helps you avoid costly and lengthy legal procedures and ensures that you obtain all your rights.
- Helping individuals recover losses resulting from administrative errors.
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Contact now with the best legal consultation lawyer to file a lawsuit before the Board of Grievances, prepare the statement of claim and legal evidence correctly, and follow up on the legal procedures to ensure the recovery of your rights before government entities.
Conclusion
The Board of Grievances Administrative Court is one of the important judicial authorities for protecting individuals and establishments from unlawful administrative decisions and deciding cases related to compensation, government contracts, and employment rights. Therefore, understanding its jurisdictions and the procedures followed before it greatly helps in handling the lawsuit correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are the Jurisdictions of the Board of Grievances?
The Board of Grievances hears administrative appeals related to administrative penalties and government decisions, as well as cases involving disputes between government entities and individuals. Its jurisdiction also includes cases related to public rights, such as individual freedoms, employment, education, and ensuring equality between all parties before the law.
How Can an Appeal Be Submitted Before the Board of Grievances?
A person must submit an official request to the Board of Grievances that includes the details of the administrative decision to be challenged, along with supporting documents and evidence. The competent administrative courts then examine the appeal until the legality of the challenged decision is determined and the case is decided in accordance with the applicable provisions.
