al dente

How do the custody and financial issues get sorted under shariah?

Which way would/ did you go? Why?

It's not me but a friend who has rather been landed in it, with 3 children under 5.

Any divorce lawyer recommendations would be nice too.

OriginalSunshine

leave the country now if it is acrimonious

if there's a custody battle, the husband wins, whatever the circumstances (e.g. he's got himself a shiny 19 yr old Philippina)

in the UK at least there is the chance of joint custody and maintenance payments

Patsy Stoned

Your friend needs to leave the country now..take the kids with her... once she is back home then she can get her ducks in a row and start divorce proceeding. She should take whatever she can, but just get the kids out of here. The courts will be on her husband's side and she could lose the kids.

Ronnie Biggs

Is your friend male or female?

scot47

If she is a foreigner and the husband is an Emirati........................................... .....................................

mikewot

Define 'foreigner', she's English?

al dente

She's British, he's Australian. She wants to stay and work here and she's pretty certain he doesn't want the kids (told her several times) but she wants and (he wants currently) to still see the kids on a basic level.

Passed on the initial 'leave now' advice, but she is certain that he wouldn't do that. Does anyone have friends who have divorced and behaved like that? I know of three couples (not well!) who have split up and the wife stayed here no problems. Two delayed divorcing until the kids were much older and the other the wife was also working.

I know it would be hard to enforce a British ruling of alimony etc here but it might be a better starting point.

But if a shariah ruling is reasonable than it's something to consider too.

britexpat76

Those words do not go together.

MataHari

I got divorced while living here. We had it all done in Holland (all by email, no need to actually go there). All straight forward and we applied the rules as they are back home.

Kix

^^^^^

What Mata said. If neither of you are Arab or muslim, then basically shariah law isn't imposed.

I got divorced a few years back (in UK, even though both of us were in Dubai), ex got custody in Dubai courts too. No problem, I still see junior - although that might be because of the money I pay her...

The first year is the worst, I actually get on better with the ex now - she's even offered me a place to stay when I go to Dubai.

Funny old world.

britexpat76

Maybe she is after a friendly

Kix

She needs a razor then....

Ronnie Biggs

???????? To trim what?

al dente

Perhaps she was his beard?

al dente

Thanks for sensible advice of what can be possible.

Hoping it remains amicable.