Some judges have rejected a proposal that calls for all cases to be resolved within 90 days, unless there are convincing reasons for delays. The judges who oppose it are part of discussions considering a number of other amendments to the Kingdom's laws. The 90-day proposal has been made by a representative of the Supreme Judicial Council. An informed source said that a committee of specialists from the Experts Commission of the Council of Ministers is currently working on introducing significant amendments to the judiciary system proposed by judges from the Ministry of Justice and the Supreme Judicial Council. The source said the draft amendment includes a new clause specifying that litigants need to appear before a judge in the general courts within eight days from the date of submitting a plea. It is also proposed that litigants will have four days to appear before the labor, commercial and Shariah status courts (looking into marriage and divorce cases, among others). In the case of traffic accidents, the judge is empowered to reduce the period a litigant has to appear, to 24 hours. However, in such a case the defendant has to be informed about the reduction of the period to enable him to appear before the court on the set date and time. Another new clause calls on defendants to lodge their defense three days before the date set for their case in court.
