Key points
- Status: published in the Official Bulletin No. 7533 of 10 August 2026 (Dahir No. 1-26-59 of 28 July 2026).
- It comes into force 90 days after its publication and then repeals Law No. 45-00 of 2001 (Article 74).
- Registered experts remain registered; the implementing texts of Law No. 45-00 remain valid until they are replaced.
- New features: initial and continuing training, civil liability, an annual medical certificate from the age of 70.
- The expert is paid through the court's cash office and may not receive any sum directly from the parties.
From Parliament to the Official Bulletin
Bill No. 01-24 was adopted at second reading by the House of Representatives at the end of June 2026 (LeBrief, 30 June 2026: 74 votes in favour, 21 abstentions, none against). The law was promulgated by Dahir No. 1-26-59 of 28 July 2026 and published in Official Bulletin No. 7533 of 10 August 2026, the same issue as the laws on subdivisions, adouls and regional urban planning agencies.
Its Article 74 provides that it comes into force at the end of a period of ninety days from its publication. As the period is the same as for Law No. 51-26 on adouls, published the same day, application should begin around 9 November 2026; we have not found an official source giving the exact date. On that date, Law No. 45-00 on court-appointed experts is repealed.
What does not change straight away
- Experts registered on the lists of the courts of appeal and on the national list keep their registration (Article 75).
- The texts adopted to implement Law No. 45-00 remain in force, if they do not contradict the new law, until they are replaced (Article 74).
- Disciplinary proceedings opened under the former law are transferred to the new committee, without repeating the steps already taken (Article 77).
The main new features
- Registration: no one may practise as a court-appointed expert without being registered on a list; registration is valid for one year. A committee attached to the Ministry of Justice assesses needs by court of appeal and examines applications (Articles 4, 10 and 17).
- National list: an expert must have been registered without interruption for at least ten years on the list of a court of appeal (Article 8).
- Training: initial training in the legal aspects of expert work for newly registered experts (Article 16) and compulsory continuing training (Article 40).
- Liability: the expert is civilly liable for damage caused by his faults (Article 43). From the age of 70, he must produce a medical certificate of fitness every year (Article 44).
- Deadlines: the expert must complete his assignment within the period set by the court decision; refusing the assignment or failing to deliver it on time without a valid excuse, after formal notice, constitutes serious misconduct (Articles 35 and 37).
What this changes for a land expert assessment
In a dispute over boundaries, boundary marking or partition, several rules directly concern the parties. The expert acts under the supervision of the judge who appointed him; he must withdraw of his own accord if there is a ground for recusal provided for by the Code of Civil Procedure, and he may not delegate his assignment (Articles 45 and 46). He answers precisely the technical questions put to him, without going beyond his field of competence (Article 47).
His fees are set by the court and paid through the court's cash office: he is prohibited from receiving any sum directly from the parties (Articles 26 and 39). He may not hand his report to the parties: he files it with the court registry (Article 38).
A court-appointed expert is not the only professional who can be involved in a land matter: a surveying engineer registered with the ONIGT can carry out an amicable expert assessment before any lawsuit. The guides Land and topographic expert assessment and Boundary marking, missing markers and property lines explain when to choose one route or the other.
Official sources
- Official Bulletin No. 7533 of 10 August 2026 (general edition in Arabic): Dahir No. 1-26-59 of 28 July 2026 promulgating Law No. 01-24 on court-appointed experts — General Secretariat of the Government (Official Bulletin), 10 August 2026
- Court-appointed experts: the House of Representatives finally adopts the bill (article in French) — LeBrief.ma, 30 June 2026
- Court-appointed experts: the House of Representatives adopts Bill No. 01.24 at second reading (article in French) — Médias24, 30 June 2026
- Dahir No. 1-01-126 promulgating Law No. 45-00 on court-appointed experts (text repealed when Law No. 01-24 comes into force) — Ministry of Justice (adala.justice.gov.ma)
This guide provides general information, up to date as of the date shown. It does not replace the official texts or a professional review of your file. Ask us about your situation.