Family
Statutory family law with customary marriage and clan adoption recognised
Marriage, divorce and custody are governed by the Palau National Code and heard in the Court of Common Pleas or Supreme Court, with customary marriage and adoption recognised.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National, in the Court of Common Pleas and the Supreme Court trial division. Customary questions may require evidence of clan practice.
Governing law
- Palau National Code, title 21domestic relations
- Family Protection Act 2012
- Adoption provisions, PNC title 21
- Constitution of Palau 1981 (art. IV (equal protection))
In practice
Title 21 provides for marriage, judicial divorce, maintenance, custody and adoption, while customary marriage continues to be recognised and customary adoption within the clan is common. Because clan land rights descend matrilineally, decisions about lineage and adoption have direct property consequences, and family disputes frequently overlap with Land Court questions. The Family Protection Act 2012 was a significant reform, creating protection orders, mandatory police response and offences directed at domestic violence in place of reliance on general assault provisions and family mediation. Customary reconciliation and clan mediation remain influential in practice, particularly outside Koror, and courts may take account of customary settlement without treating it as displacing statutory remedies.