Rabat – Morocco’s House of Representatives approved draft law 01.24 on judicial experts on Monday by majority vote during a legislative session. A total of 80 lawmakers backed the bill, while 34 opposed it, with no abstentions.
Presenting the bill, Justice Minister Abdellatif Ouahbi said the text is part of ongoing efforts to reform the justice system, especially by improving legal and judicial professions. He noted that judicial experts play a key role in helping courts reach effective decisions.
The new law aims to update the current legal framework governing judicial experts. It introduces changes to registration procedures and revises the required years of experience for inclusion in the national list of experts. It also allows legal entities, not just individuals, to qualify.
The bill makes initial training mandatory for newly registered experts and requires continuous training to keep their legal and professional knowledge up to date. It also sets clearer rules on fees, taking into account the cost and effort of expert work.
In addition, the law grants legal protection to judicial experts while holding them civilly responsible for professional mistakes, including those made by their assistants. Experts aged 70 and above will be required to submit an annual medical certificate proving their ability to work.
Ouahbi said the reform responds to the growing complexity of disputes, which increasingly require technical expertise and the ability to handle complex cases.
Majority parties described the bill as an important step in strengthening justice reform. They said it responds to the need to modernize the profession, as current laws no longer match the evolving nature of legal disputes. They also welcomed stricter conditions for entry, structured training, and a clearer disciplinary system.
Opposition parties said deeper reform is needed. They argued that judicial experts have become key actors in court decisions due to the technical nature of many cases. They called for binding deadlines for completing expert reports to reduce delays in trials.
They also renewed calls to create a national body and regional councils for judicial experts to better organize the profession, unify standards, and ensure independence.
MWN with MAP