Divorce Lawyers in Lebanon.
Religious and civil divorce, drawing on grounds, procedures and consequences that vary from one community to another.
Lebanon has a distinctive legal system that combines religious and civil jurisdictions. Each recognized religious community (Christian, Muslim, Druze and others) administers its own family law through its own courts. Couples married abroad under a civil marriage contract, however, may file for divorce before Lebanese civil courts. Proper legal strategy from the outset is critical.
Can I obtain a divorce in Lebanon, and before which court?
The competent court depends primarily on the form of the marriage and the personal status of the spouses. Religious marriages are dissolved before the religious court of the community in which they were celebrated. Civil marriages contracted abroad are, as a rule, dissolved before the Lebanese civil courts, applying the law chosen by the spouses or the law of their common domicile.
Divorce procedure
The procedure varies significantly:
- ◆Before religious courts: grounds, procedure, mediation and outcome differ from one confession to another (Catholic annulment, Orthodox dissolution, Muslim divorce, Druze divorce, and others).
- ◆Before civil courts: the divorce is based on the applicable civil law, with rules on grounds (fault, mutual consent, breakdown of the marital bond), interim measures and financial consequences.
Grounds and conditions
Depending on the applicable regime, divorce may be granted on grounds such as fault (adultery, abandonment, violence), permanent separation, mutual consent, or irretrievable breakdown of the marital bond. Some regimes also foresee reconciliation attempts, mediation or a mandatory cooling-off period.
Consequences of divorce
The consequences must be organized with particular care:
- ◆Custody, visitation and legal guardianship of the children
- ◆Child support (nafaqa) and, where applicable, spousal maintenance
- ◆Liquidation of the matrimonial regime and division of assets
- ◆Restitution or payment of the dower (mahr) under Muslim law
- ◆Recognition and enforcement of a Lebanese divorce abroad, and vice-versa
Why consult Mattar Law Firm
We appear before every category of Lebanese court competent in family matters, coordinate with foreign counsel when spouses or assets are located abroad, and defend our clients' interests with both firmness and discretion. Wherever possible, we favour negotiated solutions that preserve the future of the family.