Chapter First: General Provisions

Article 131

1. Evidence is the establishment of proof before the judiciary regarding a fact or a legal act that supports either a claim, a defense, or an objection. 2. It is incumbent upon every person to assist the judiciary in unveiling the truth.

Article 132

The burden of proof lies on whoever alleges the fact or act. What is to be proven must be relevant to the dispute and legally permissible to prove.

Article 133

1. Each litigant in the trial must submit at one time all means of evidence on which they rely with regard to each fact they claim. 2. The litigants must abide by the principles of probity in evidence.

Article 134

The court shall automatically notify the parties who were not notified of the date set for their issuance of the pronouncement of the judgments issued in the proceedings.

Article 135

The court may, of its own motion, order any investigation to complete the evidence adduced by the parties. The court may conduct the investigation itself or delegate it to one of its judges. If the place where the investigation is to be conducted is distant from the court's seat

Article 136

The court or the delegated judge has the right to resort to audio or visual or audio-visual recording of all or some of the investigation procedures conducted by either of them. The recording shall be kept with the clerk, and each litigant has the right to request that a copy thereof be delivered to him against payment of the expenses. The duplication shall be done either at the clerk's office or at the Ministry of Justice.

Article 137

1. The court may amend the evidence procedures it has ordered if circumstances arise that justify this amendment and render the prescribed evidence futile. 2. The court may refrain from relying on the outcome of the procedure, provided that it states the reasons for this in the judgment.

Article 138

The admissibility of evidence of legal acts is governed by the provisions in force at the time such acts were created. The admissibility of evidence of material acts is governed by the provisions in force at the time of filing the suit. In all cases, the procedures of proof are subject to the provisions of Article 138 of this law.

Article 139

1. Evidence of legal acts may be established in accordance with the law of the state that governs the effects of these acts or in accordance with the law of the state in which they were created. 2. The admissibility of evidence of material acts is subject to the law of the judge hearing the dispute. 3. The probative force of documents is subject to the law of the place where they were created.

Article 140

The procedures of evidence are subject to the law of the judge before whom they are conducted. However, the procedures of evidence conducted in a foreign country are deemed valid if they are in conformity with the provisions of Lebanese law, even if they are in contravention of the foreign law. It is permissible to delegate a foreign court to undertake evidence procedures required for the consideration of the case.

Article 141

1. The judge shall not render a judgment based on his personal information in the case. 2. Information derived from the judge's experience in public affairs, which he is presumed to be aware of, shall not be considered personal information that the judge is prohibited from basing his judgment on.

Article 142

Proof of the existence of Lebanese law is not required. However, proof of the content of foreign law must be provided by whoever relies on it unless the judge is familiar with it. If the content of foreign law cannot be established, the judge must decide according to Lebanese law.

Article 143

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