JEDDAH: The Ministry of Justice has revealed that about 6 percent of Saudi judges either demand retirement or resign annually, a local publication reported.

The number of judges in the country is estimated at 1,800 working at 276 courts spread over the different regions of the Kingdom.

A number of former judges said the efforts they make in the judiciary are not commensurate with the financial rewards they receive in view of high living costs, and lack of access to benefits and allowances which generates a state of frustration and drives them to resign or retire as many better options are available, including working as lawyers or legal advisers.

Former judge Hassan Al-Saif said the main reason for the loss of judges is the “financial aspect.”

Speaking to a local publication, he said: “The judge is appointed in this position after acquiring high qualifications and years of practice in the judiciary. If he left the judiciary and worked with his fellow legal advisers in the private sector he would get a better and higher salary.”

The other reason for the loss, added Al-Saif, is the big burden and efforts on the judges’ shoulders, the poor qualifications of their assistants and the shortage in the number of judiciary employees, “which doubles the burdens on the judge and forces him to assume the proceedings of the case from A to Z,” according to him.

He said some judges leave the judiciary to work at universities because the burdens and efforts are much less and the two salaries almost the same.

“Judges working in academia can work and provide legal advice in exchange for fees; judges cannot do that,” he added.

He demanded the development of the judiciary environment by granting judges the ability to file complaints before the Supreme Court in the event disciplinary measures are taken against them. “This should entail amending the judiciary system.”

He also demanded allowing judges to teach in universities during the evening period, much as the case with doctors, which will put a curb on the loss of judges to the teaching field.

Dr. Issa Al-Ghaith, a judge of appeal and member of the Shoura Council, said political will is the solution for the dilemma of the resignation of judges.

“The Ministry of Justice does not have the powers to increase the salaries of judges or offer benefits and allowances, we only give suggestions and recommendations,” pointing to the recommendation of the Shoura Council concerning the high turnover of judges.

He described the judges working in the judiciary as “employees offering national service for the best interests of the country and people.”

He said the salary of an appellate judge, the top of the judiciary cadre, does not exceed SR10,000 a month. “He can receive a much higher salary in the event he opened a law office,” he added.

Al-Ghaith compared the benefits employees in other sectors get and the ones missing by judges saying: “The employees in Nazaha and the Bureau of Investigation and Public Prosecution, the military, employees at Saudi Aramco and Saudi Arabian Airlines, SABIC and others have many benefits, including medical insurance and housing accommodations which the judges lack. When judges complain they get the same answer: ‘What’s applies to citizens applies to you. You have to go to the hospitals of the Ministry of Health.’“

Lawyer Mohammed Al-Jathlani, also a former judge, said the financial aspect is the main reason for the loss of judges.

“The judiciary is seen as a repulsive work environment for judges because of the large number of cases they handle and address, work pressures, and the lack of qualified assistants, not to mention the transportation problem once promotions are announced and judges are forced to work in regions other than where they reside,” he concluded.