Okaz/Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — The General Court here has launched three judicial circuits to act as traffic courts in the Kingdom. The first circuit, on its first work day on Sunday, received 11 traffic lawsuits signaling the beginning of the traffic courts in Saudi Arabia. The courts will consider complaints emanating from traffic accidents and traffic violations embodied in the traffic statutes and by-laws. Sheikh Abdul Rahman Al-Husseini, president of the General Court, has himself followed the work of the new circuits. Informed sources said the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) will assess the work of the circuits to deal promptly with any shortfalls and correct any mistakes. They said the council will later consider turning these circuits into full-fledged traffic courts to settle all traffic cases. The General Court has provided offices for the three new traffic circuits and supplied them with all the necessary equipment. It has also named the judges who will preside over the sessions. The courts, according to the sources, will focus on public rights in traffic accidents and will also judge on private rights including financial disputes rising from traffic violations including car damages. The courts will also consider all cases of traffic violations stipulated in the traffic statutes and by-laws. The Ministry of Justice has trained a number of judges on the various forms of traffic violations with a view to qualify them to fairly consider such cases. A committee, comprising representatives the ministry, the SJC and the department of traffic, was set up to arrange for transfer of traffic cases from the police to the courts. The SJC has earlier approved the establishment of specialized judicial courts to look at all the issues pertaining to traffic violations.
