Specialised family courts in KSA

Saudi Arabia opened new courts focusing on family disputes, the first of a series of specialised tribunals aimed at making the kingdom's legal system faster, more transparent and predictable reported Reuters.

The introduction of specialised courts is one of the most radical changes to a legal system in which judges use their own interpretation of Islamic texts to rule on cases that range from complex commercial disputes to murder.

Local media reported that the new specialised family courts in Riyadh, Mecca, Jeddah, Medina and Dammam, will be staffed by judges who have received extra training in cases involving divorce, alimony and child custody.

Dedicated commercial courts will be opened within four months and courts to review labour and immigration disputes, and courts specialising in criminal cases will be opened after that.

The new courts are the centrepiece of sweeping judicial reforms in Saudi Arabia that were announced by King Abdullah in 2007 but have faced opposition from conservatives who want legal matters to remain under the exclusive control of the clergy.

In an effort to speed up the legal system, Saudi Arabia is also introducing judicial training centres and has approved the appointment of new judges.