Judicial Committee
Synonyms: Real Estate Judicial Committee، Rental Disputes Tribunal، Property Disputes Committee
Last updated: 2026-05-07
Short Definition
Specialized committee in Ejar to quickly adjudicate rental disputes, its rulings binding, issuing decisions within weeks.
Overview
Legal Basis
The Judicial Committee is based on the Council of Ministers Resolution establishing it under justice system reforms, the Enforcement Law, and the Sharia Procedure Law issued by Royal Decree No. (M/1) of 1435 AH. The committee regulations specify its competencies, procedures, and appeal mechanisms. It is also based on its integration with the Najiz and Ejar platforms in issuing and executing decisions electronically.
Practical Example
A dispute between Al-Raya Real Estate office and an owner in Jeddah over a property management contract. The office claims accumulated commissions of SAR 38,000, while the owner alleges the office breached service terms. The office files a lawsuit via Najiz to the Judicial Committee for Real Estate Disputes. A virtual session is scheduled within 10 days, attended by both parties with their lawyers. Each party submits a memo and documents electronically (property management contract, commission statements, correspondence). The committee issues its decision within two weeks obligating the owner to pay SAR 28,000 and dropping the remainder with clarification of obligations. The decision is executed directly via Najiz within days without the need for additional judicial procedures.
Common Mistakes
- ✗Attempting to file a real estate dispute lawsuit in general courts — the specialized Judicial Committee has exclusive jurisdiction and the case may be rejected by the general court.
- ✗Failing to submit electronic documents in approved format — unclear images or unacceptable formats may delay adjudication.
- ✗Assuming virtual sessions are less important than in-person — attending virtual sessions with the same seriousness is legally necessary.
- ✗Litigating without a lawyer in complex cases — the plaintiff may lose a legitimate right due to ignorance of procedures.
- ✗Underestimating the appeal period — the appeal must be filed within the specified period (usually 30 days), otherwise the ruling becomes final.
International Differences
Specialized judicial bodies for real estate disputes differ between countries. In the UAE, the Rental Disputes Settlement Center in Dubai and the Real Estate Courts in Abu Dhabi serve the same purpose. In Turkey, real estate disputes are filed at peace courts or specialized labor courts in some cases. In Egypt, judicial committees for rentals have jurisdiction over disputes but the system is complex. In the UK, the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) is the specialized body. In the US, Housing Court and Landlord-Tenant Court work at state level. The Saudi advantage in the Judicial Committee lies in speed (3-8 weeks), fully virtual sessions, direct integration with Najiz for enforcement, and its deep specialization in real estate cases ensuring ruling quality.