Questions on old claims & time limits

1. 01Is the time limit for a construction-contract claim five years or ten?

   There is no single period for every construction contract. Commercial claims will generally not be heard after five years, subject to exceptions. Civil claims will generally not be heard after ten years, with some shorter special periods. The answer turns on the nature of the right, the competent court and when the right arose.

   SourceCommercial Courts Law, Art. 24 (Ministry of Justice legal portal)Civil Transactions Law, Arts. 295 to 297 (Ministry of Justice legal portal)

   Read moreBefore filing a claim in Saudi Arabia: five things worth checkingA commercial claim: what to prepare before registration, and when it is too late to plead

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2. 02Do the Civil Transactions Law's time limits apply automatically to older contracts?

   No. You need to check the transitional rules, any statutory provision or judicial principle governing the facts, and any limitation period that had already started running before the law took effect. The age of the contract alone does not decide whether the claim can still be heard.

   SourceRoyal Decree approving the Civil Transactions Law, item 5 (Umm Al-Qura gazette)

   Read moreBefore filing a claim in Saudi Arabia: five things worth checkingThe Penalty Clause: When It Works for You and When the Judge Cuts It

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3. 03Does an earlier lawsuit interrupt the limitation period?

   As a rule, yes. Under the Civil Transactions Law a court claim interrupts the period, even if it was filed before a court that lacked jurisdiction. But the effect of an earlier case depends on which law applies and how that case ended; it does not keep the right alive indefinitely.

   SourceCivil Transactions Law, Arts. 302 and 304 (Ministry of Justice legal portal)

   Read moreBefore filing a claim in Saudi Arabia: five things worth checking

   Ask about your own case

4. 04If my case was struck out or treated as never filed, have I lost the underlying right?

   Not necessarily. Ending a case on procedure is different from deciding the right itself. Look at the judgment's reasons and operative part, whether it is final, and the time limits for claiming. A ruling that simply sets the case aside does not, by itself, tell you whether a new claim can be filed.

   Read moreAppealing a judgment: what to review before draftingBefore filing a claim in Saudi Arabia: five things worth checking

   Ask about your own case

These answers are brief general information. They are no substitute for a review of the facts and documents of a particular matter.