Saudi Arabia launches medical malpractice judicial panels at Riyadh General Court

RIYADH: The Saudi Arabia Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has inaugurated the main office for medical malpractice claims judicial panels at the Riyadh General Court.

This initiative includes eight first-instance panels and two appellate panels, all operating under a unified identity and a new operational model as part of a nationwide rollout for court modernization.

The panels aim to expedite the resolution of medical disputes, minimizing time and effort for litigants.

Operating entirely electronically, they feature a dedicated section for medical experts who provide specialized input to judicial departments in collaboration with the Ministry of Health.

As part of this transition, jurisdiction over medical malpractice cases has been transferred from the Ministry of Health to the judiciary.

Judges overseeing these cases were trained and qualified based on judicial competence, scientific credentials, and practical experience.

The MoJ has also introduced simultaneous translation services for non-Arabic speakers through its Unified Translation Center, enabling remote participation in in-person sessions.

Additionally, the Ministry collaborates with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties via the Expertise Platform to enlist experts for malpractice lawsuits.

The initiative also includes activating a reconciliation center for health professional malpractice lawsuits and enabling the Ministry of Health and its branches to file public right cases through the “Najiz Government” platform.

Notably, the medical malpractice panels at the Riyadh General Court have processed over 10,000 cases since the transition of jurisdiction from health authorities to the judiciary.