Summary

Family law in Lebanon is based on communal identity and religious group.

The Lebanese Constitution grants 18 recognized religious communities in Lebanon (12 Christian, 4 Muslim, 1 Druze, and 1 Jewish) legal autonomy in regulating their communal rights, including their family law. Thus, today 15 separate family laws are in force in Lebanon and are administered by separate religious courts.

In Lebanon, one can only undertake a religious marriage in the Church or at an Islamic Court. Some Christian sects share the same law, while the other sects have each a specific family law applicable only to the citizens belonging to that specific sect.

Civil marriages are not valid if they occur in Lebanon, but are recognized and registered by the Lebanese state if they take place abroad. In the latter case, issues and disputes relating to the family are brought before a civil court where a judge will apply the law of the country where the civil marriage took place. If a couple has had both civil and religious wedding ceremonies, the marriage and its legal consequences are subject only to religious law. Furthermore, if both spouses are Shia, Sunni, or Druze, their foreign civil marriage will not be recognized in Lebanon. Shia, Sunni and Druze courts will apply their own rules in these instances.

Druze Family Law: قانون الاحوال الشخصية لطائفة الموحدين الدروز 1948 معدّل في 2017

Coptic Orthodox Family Law قانون الاحوال الشخصية واصول المحاكمات لدى طائفة الاقباط الارثوذكس في لبنان 2010

Evangelical Church Family Law قانون الاحوال الشخصية للطائفة الانجيلية في سوريا ولبنان 2005

Greek Orthodox Church Family Law قانون الاحوال الشخصية واصول المحاكمات لدى بطريركية انطاكية وسائر المشرق للروم الارثوذكس 2003

Orthodox Assyrian Church Family Law قانون الاحوال الشخصية للطائفة الشرقية الاشورية الارثوذكسية في لبنان 1997

Armenian Orthodox Church Family Law قانون الاحوال الشخصية للطائفة الارمنية الارثوذكسية 1990

Orthodox Syrian Church Family Law قانون الاحوال الشخصية لطائفة السريان الارثوذكس 1990

Israeli Community Family Law قانون الاحوال الشخصية للطائفة الاسرائيلية 1990

Catholic Communities Family Law قانون الاحوال الشخصية للطوائف الكاثوليكية 1949

Sunni Muslims in Lebanon Family Law نظام أحكام الأسرة للطائفة السنية 2011

Shia Muslims Family Law قانون حقوق العائلة للطائفة الجعفرية 1917 معدّل في 1921

Source: Lebanese University Legal Informatics Center

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