A beautiful, ancient country steeped in rich tradition and customs, Lebanon is also known as a hub for international business travel. As such, there has been a mixture of many different cultures and religions. Christians co-exist with Muslims, Jews and other religions here. Holding onto its roots, Lebanese government still imposes religion in many ways. Lebanese family law matters are governed by 18 separate religious courts.
Marriage ceremonies, for example, are only performed under the authority of a religious leader. If a couple wants to be married without religious influence, a civil marriage is recognized, provided it occurs abroad.
For example, men in some religious sects are allowed to marry as many as four women, while others may only have one spouse. Certain Christian denominations are not allowed to divorce. And although the country’s laws stipulate equal rights for both genders, many women say that the law is unfairly biased against them, and that they do not have as much voice or impact as men in their country. A great example of this is in mixed marriage, in which children are usually considered to be of the same religion as their father.
Other aspects of family law in Lebanon, such as divorce, property division and child custody, may be just as complicated, if not more so. Navigating the family law field may make it necessary for Lebanese couples to seek help from an experienced law firm. At Mattar Law Firm, we have extensive experience in Lebanese family law. Couples with a question on any complicated marriage or divorce topic should call our offices.