RIYADH — Courts in the Kingdom processed over 13,000 divorces in the last nine months — about 48 divorces each day — according to figures from the Ministry of Justice reported in Al-Eqtisadiah newspaper. According to the figures, Riyadh sees the most divorces, accounting for 37 percent of the total, while Makkah and Madinah provinces account for 15 and 13 percent respectively. Jazan and Baha provinces saw the fewest divorces, together accounting for less than 2 percent of the total. Social affairs consultant at the Ministry of Justice Nasser Al-Oud said divorces and marriage contracts are handled by the Personal Status Court, which also plays a consultative role in family disputes. “The Personal Status Court has been a great aid in solving 72 percent of cases caused by family feuds during the past nine months. There are family consultation offices all over the Kingdom and they have been successful in solving 52 percent cases of family feuds they receive,” he said. Al-Oud added that the ministry faced a shortage of judges and was currently employing retired judges to temporarily fill the gap. “The ministry is also trying to activate family guidance centers so people don't have to go to court for family consultation. “The Supreme Court has also enabled many courts to conduct its hearings through videoconference. The judge, jury, plaintiff and defendant do not need to be present in the same place to have a hearing.” According to Al-Oud, videoconferencing has expedited a number of court procedures and facilitated many cases. According to reports, some 25 percent of marriages in the Kingdom end in divorce, which is much higher than the global rates.
