Guides to the law
Family Law for the Non-Lawyer
A sample guide, to show how a guide reads on the site: the two systems of family law in Malaysia, and what to gather before a family matter turns legal.
This is a sample page. It shows how one of her guides to the law will read on the site; the guide itself is still to be written.
Two systems, one country
Family law in Malaysia runs on two tracks. For non-Muslims, marriage and divorce come under the Law Reform (Marriage and Divorce) Act 1976, and the civil courts hear the case. For Muslims, Islamic family law applies, and the Syariah courts hear the case. Knowing which track you are on is the first step.
Gather your papers
- Your marriage certificate and your children's birth certificates, with copies.
- What you earn and spend each month, and what you own, together and alone.
- Any agreement you have already made, even an informal one.
Where there are children, start with what they need.
Ask early
A first meeting with a family lawyer, or with a legal aid centre, can save months later. Bring your papers and your questions, and ask what each path is likely to take, in time and in cost.
Nothing on this page is legal advice.