There were 19,563 marriages and 5,942 divorces in Jeddah governorate during the year 1437 AH, according to statistics made available by the city's Personal Status Court. Head of the court Saad Bin Nasser Al-Suwaig said two women had their marriage contracts annulled due to incompatibility in tribal lineage or inadequate social status. Al-Suwaig said 847 divorces involved khula, which is the right of a woman for separation on return of the dowry and other financial rights of the husband while three divorces took place because of men'sinability to meet the expenses of their wives. In a statement to Al-Madina newspaper, Al-Suwaig said marriage contracts concluded in the past year involved 11,133 Saudi couples and 6,827 non-Saudi couples. He said 1,603 cases concerned documentation of children's marrages. There were seven cases of remarriage and 25 cases invlolved confirmation of marriage. The court president said 2,544 marriage contracts were annulled due to various reasons cases, including 18 because of marital infidelity or other offensive conduct. Al-Suwaig put the number of authorized officials to conduct marriages currently in Jeddah at 308. He said the court president has the authority to withdraw the license of any marriage official if he was found violating the rules. Al-Swuaig said possible violations are lack of premarital medical tests, failure to follow procedures required by the law and recording incorrect information. He pointed out that the Jeddah family court operates through 20 judicial circuits. They consider all cases of domestic abuse and human rights issues, register all kinds of contracts and work through the e-court system, which is linked to the Information Center in Riyadh. Cases can be filed through electronic forms available on the Ministry of Justice's website.
