When someone takes a case to court, two things ultimately matter to them: that the judgment is fair and well-reasoned, and that its outcome is not too different from that of similar cases. Achieving this requires more than simply organizing procedures; the quality of the judgments themselves must also be measured. This is the aim of new rules adopted by the Supreme Judicial Council to regulate the work of technical offices in the courts.

What happened?
The Supreme Judicial Council — at its meeting on October 7, 2026, chaired by the Council’s Acting President, Sheikh Dr. Waleed bin Mohammed Al-Samaani — adopted rules governing the work of technical offices. The rules regulate the preparation and review of studies and draft judgments, with the aim of improving judgment quality and ensuring consistent application of laws and judicial principles.
The Council explained that developing judicial work requires setting quality standards, coordinating roles, and using data and indicators to improve performance, thereby enhancing the quality of judgments and ensuring consistency in the application of laws and judicial principles. It added that this development goes beyond organizing procedures to include measuring the quality of outcomes and using review findings to improve work methods and strengthen competencies.
Al-Samaani praised the unlimited support of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz, and the support and follow-up of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for the development taking place in the justice sector.

First: What are technical offices?
Technical offices are specialized units within the courts that support judges in the technical aspects of judicial work, such as preparing cases before hearings, conducting technical reviews, and developing judicial knowledge. Al-Samaani has previously highlighted their role in identifying and analyzing divergences in judicial reasoning and drawing on research and best practices.
To put it simply, they can be compared to a team working behind the scenes: they do not issue judgments, but help ensure that cases are properly prepared for the judge and that outcomes undergo a review to ensure their quality and consistency.

What do the new rules cover?
 The rules govern the preparation and review of studies and draft judgments. Key provisions include:
Allowing the use of approved artificial intelligence technologies.
Measuring and monitoring performance.
Using performance measurement results to improve training and qualification programs.

Why is this step important?
The significance of these rules lies in shifting the focus of development from organizing procedures to measuring the quality of outcomes themselves. Their expected impact can be summed up in three points:
Consistency of judgments: Uniform application of laws and judicial principles reduces variation in judgments in similar cases and helps individuals and companies better anticipate the outcomes of their cases.
Higher quality: Technical reviews and outcome measurement identify areas of weakness and turn them into opportunities for improvement.
Clearer responsibilities: Defining roles at each level of litigation helps different parts of the process work together rather than overlap.
This step is part of a broader effort to develop Saudi Arabia’s justice system, which in recent years has seen the enactment of important laws, including the Personal Status Law, the Law of Evidence, and the Civil Transactions Law.

How does artificial intelligence fit in?
The mention of artificial intelligence in the new rules did not come out of nowhere. In August 2026, the Supreme Judicial Council discussed potential uses of artificial intelligence, the results of several trials, and opportunities to use it to simplify procedures, improve quality and efficiency, and support data-driven decision-making. In September, Al-Samaani affirmed the Ministry’s intention to expand the use of artificial intelligence applications in judicial work and make use of their capabilities to study and analyze cases and prepare drafts.
Notably, the rules refer to “approved” technologies and describe their use as permitted rather than mandatory, meaning that artificial intelligence is intended to support judicial work.

In summary
The term “technical offices” may be unfamiliar to many, but their work affects everyone who appears before the courts. The new rules govern the preparation and review of studies and draft judgments, allow performance to be measured and monitored, and permit the use of approved artificial intelligence technologies. The intended result: higher-quality, more consistent judgments.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes and aims to explain the news in a simple, accessible way. The information it contains is drawn from published news sources and has been adapted and simplified; it does not represent the position or an official statement of any entity. This information may be updated after publication, so readers are advised to consult official sources for full details.