Enforcement Law & Procedure
Jordan Execution Law (amended through 2026)
The Law sets out the framework for enforcing enforceable instruments and the operation of Execution Departments at Courts of First Instance, covering attachment, sale, precautionary measures such as detention and travel bans, and paper or electronic filings and service. The text specifies time-limits, appeal routes, rules for distributing proceeds, and exemptions protecting certain assets and persons from attachment.
Updated: 24 March 2026
Prepared and reviewed by: Ashraf Al-Khawaja
Scope of Jurisdiction and Organization of the Execution Department
The Law establishes an Execution Department at each Court of First Instance headed by a judicial Execution Chief and sets the territorial jurisdiction according to where the judgment issued, the parties’ domiciles or location of assets. It defines roles and powers of the chief, the bailiff, clerks and process servers, and authorises electronic procedures and service under Ministry of Justice instructions. Practically, enforcement applications may be filed in paper or electronically with the competent department; the chief supervises execution work and may delegate measures to another department when action is required outside its area.
Enforceable Instruments, Procedural Objections and Time-limits
The Law sets out which instruments are enforceable (court judgments, official instruments, ordinary instruments and negotiable commercial papers) and prescribes rules for objections: the debtor has fixed short periods to object after service (e.g. fifteen days in certain cases) and an objection does not automatically suspend enforcement unless a competent court orders a stay depending on the nature of the challenge. The statute also provides limitation periods for enforcement requests for particular categories and provides that compulsory enforcement cannot proceed while remedies remain available unless urgent enforcement is lawfully allowed. In practice, a debtor must timely raise substantive challenges and courts will determine whether enforcement should continue or be stayed.
Attachment Procedures and Sale of Movables and Immovables
The Law regulates attachment of debtor assets held by third parties or at the debtor’s place, inventory, registration and valuation procedures, and appointment of custodians, with formal requirements for attachment records and notification to the custodian. It also sets out rules for sale of movables and public auctions, allows electronic auctioning under ministerial rules, and prescribes procedures for taking possession of immovables, compiling sale conditions, conducting auctions, provisional and final award, overbidding mechanisms and payment deadlines. Practically, strict publicity and record-keeping are required and registration of final award purges certain rights affecting the sold property and transfers them to the sale proceeds.
Detention, Travel Bans and Protective Limits
The Law provides for creditor requests to detain debtors and impose travel bans in specified circumstances, sets maximum yearly detention limits per debt and allows detention without proving solvency in certain cases (e.g. maintenance debts, criminal compensation and other listed situations). It also lists categories and persons protected from detention (civil servants, minors and those not personally liable, certain medical conditions, postpartum protections, etc.). In practice, detention or travel prohibition orders are subject to judicial discretion, legal conditions, prescribed limits and may be substituted by other precautionary measures.
Distribution of Proceeds, Immunities, and Appeals & Digital Measures
The Law prescribes distribution of enforcement proceeds according to priority rights and privileges, provides for service of provisional distribution lists and short objection windows before final allocation, and mandates remittance of any remainder to the debtor. It exempts certain assets from enforcement (public property, endowments, diplomatic property, etc.) and protects items essential for livelihood or professional activity. The text expands electronic use for filing, service and electronic auctions and gives evidential value to certified electronic copies, while preserving appellate remedies to the Court of First Instance in its appellate capacity with short appeal deadlines. In practice, parties must observe payment and notification formalities, adhere to appeal timelines and verify electronic records and official registrations when enforcing or contesting measures.
Legal notice
Notice: This material is a general educational summary only. The original legal text is linked on the publication page; verify the current consolidated law, amendments and effective dates in the Official Gazette or with competent authorities, and consult a licensed lawyer before taking any action.
Sources and references
Verify the official text and latest amendments before relying on this material professionally.