Family
Civil Code family law with civil and religious marriage and no same-sex marriage
Marriage and divorce are governed by the Code Civil Mauricien, with civil marriage before an officer of civil status and religious marriage recognised where the celebrant is authorised. The Children's Act 2020 consolidated child protection. The Supreme Court decriminalised same-sex conduct in 2023, but same-sex marriage is not available.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — The Supreme Court and the Family Division hear divorce; the Civil Status Office registers marriages.
Governing law
- Code Civil Mauricien — marriage, divorce, matrimonial regimes
- Civil Status Act 1981
- Children's Act 2020
- Protection from Domestic Violence Act 1997
In practice
The default matrimonial regime is the French communauté légale unless the parties contract otherwise before a notary, which means Mauritian pre-nuptial planning is a notarial act rather than a private agreement — a civil-law feature inside a Commonwealth court system.