Argumentative Scales in Criminal sentencing in Saudi Administrative Courts 1437H

Abstract

This study aims to explore the role of argumentative scales in criminal judgments within the Saudi administrative courts for the year 1437 AH. It seeks to uncover the reasons behind the gradation of arguments within legal discourse and their impact on persuading the recipient. The argumentative scale is considered a linguistic tool used to arrange the arguments presented in a discourse according to their strength or weakness. This arrangement helps highlight the speaker’s role in persuading and influencing the recipient by shifting the statement from an informative context to an argumentative one, leading the recipient to accept the speaker’s viewpoint. To achieve this, the study adopts a descriptive and analytical approach to identify the persuasive potential embedded in these argumentative scales. The study concludes that the argumentative scale plays a significant role in legal discourse and that the arrangement of arguments varies between ascending and descending structures.