Family law in Israel is divided into a number of branches. The main matters addressed are marriages and divorces, financial agreements, divorce settlements, wife's maintenance, children's maintenance, custody, visiting rights, adoption, drawing up of wills, deed polls and age declarations as well as claims under the Hague Convention (return of abducted children).
In Israel, marriage and divorce cases are judged according to personal status laws depending on the parties' religious affiliation, i.e. Jews are under the jurisdiction of Rabbinical Courts, Muslims under Shari a Courts, and so forth.
As distinct from the other branches of the law, this area is dealt with by two different tribunals, depending on the issue in question—Family Courts and Ecclesiastical Courts (for Jews, the Rabbinical Courts). Some matters are under the sole authority of the Family Courts, others are handled exclusively by Ecclesiastical Courts, and some are subject to parallel jurisdictions, to be selected by the litigants.
For example, the actual divorce proceedings (issue of a Get—Divorce Certificate) are under the sole jurisdiction of the Ecclesiastical Court. On the other hand paternity suits, petitions for the return of abducted children, or age declarations are only handled by Family Courts. A court order for preventing family violence may be issued by an Ecclesiastical Court or a Family Court, as well as a Local Court.
Our firm specialises in drawing up agreements between spouses, court representation in divorce proceedings, drawing up wills, actions under the Hague Convention (return of abducted children), etc.
