Saudi Gazette report RIYADH — The Reconciliation Center, which was constituted under the Ministry of Justice, has succeeded in resolving a number of commercial cases through out-of-court settlements. The total value of commercial cases that were settled through the center amounted to more than SR25.8 million, according to sources at the ministry. The disputes were resolved through peaceful manner by adopting simpler and fast procedures outside the judicial departments and corridors of courts. In January this year, Minister of Justice Dr. Walid Al-Samaani inaugurated the model building of the Reconciliation Center, which provides the parties involved in disputes an opportunity to reconcile with the help of a group of qualified and specialized mediators selected by the ministry. The sources stated that the process of reconciliation in commercial cases saves the parties a great deal of time and expenses. The process of reconciliation takes about less than 45 days once the request is submitted, in addition to providing alternative solutions that satisfy the parties and facilitate settlements without referring the disputes to judicial courts. According to the sources, the reconciliation procedures in commercial disputes are represented in referring the reconciliation request to the center, documenting it and giving a number, then setting the date of the sessions and informing the parties, provided that reconciliation sessions take place at the headquarters of the reconciliation center or remotely. The sources indicated that attending the reconciliation sessions is limited to the original parties seeking reconciliation. However, they can authorize someone to attend on their behalf, provided that there is an agency that authorizes the agent to conduct the reconciliation. In such cases, the legal representative who has the authority to reconcile on behalf of the party in addition to the agents of the parties to the reconciliation can attend the sessions of reconciliation. In the event of the authorized agents attending along with their assistants, they must sign a pledge not to disclose any details of the sessions and abide by the etiquette of the sessions, the sources added.