Marriage and divorce are governed entirely by religious law through these courts, inherited from the Ottoman millet system via the Mandate. There is no civil marriage in Israel, so couples who cannot or will not marry religiously commonly marry abroad — such marriages are then registered — and the resulting gaps drive a steady stream of litigation in the Supreme Court.
How the court is constituted
- Tier
- specialised
- Court type
- Personal-status courts
- Jurisdiction
- Exclusive jurisdiction over marriage and divorce of members of the recognised community, and concurrent jurisdiction with the Family Courts over related matters such as maintenance.
- Seat
- Nationwide
- Established
- 1953
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