For most family disputes in the Sharia courts, yes. Since Decree-Law No. 22 of 2015, a family case that can be settled by agreement must first go to the Family Reconciliation Office at the Ministry of Justice before it can be registered in court. If you file without doing this, the court sends the case back to the office.
How it works
- Apply online through the eGovernment portal's family dispute settlement service.
- Attach a statement of your claims with both parties' names, personal numbers, address and phone numbers, your ID card, the marriage contract or divorce document, children's birth certificates and a power of attorney if a lawyer is acting for you.
- The office reviews the request and tells you the date of the settlement session.
Timing
- The law gives the office 10 days from the application to reach a settlement, extendable only if both sides agree, by up to 10 more days. The Ministry's service page lists up to 30 working days for the whole service.
- Any agreement is written down and can be enforced like a court ruling.
- If there is no agreement, the file goes to case registration within 5 days, and the court case goes ahead on the points still in dispute.
Cost: the service pages do not list a fee for the reconciliation step.
The catch: what you agree at the office is binding. Read it carefully, and take legal advice before signing anything on custody or maintenance.
Steps
- Apply through the eGovernment family dispute settlement service.
- Attach your claims statement, ID, marriage contract and children's birth certificates.
- Attend the settlement session on the date you are given.
- If no deal is reached, the case goes to court registration within 5 days.