Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., May 22, 2009 Iyyar 28, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:07 (EST+7)   Back to Homepage web haaretz.com Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File

Justice Min. bill enhances rabbinic court powers By Yair Ettinger The justice minister's bureau was due to discuss a bill this week expanding the rabbinical courts' powers to rule on civilian matters, but canceled the meeting after the bill was leaked to the press. The bill, a copy of which Haaretz obtained yesterday, gives rabbinical courts sole authority to hear any suit stemming from divorce settlements signed in a rabbinical court, including financial and custody disputes. Advertisement "A rabbinical court would be authorized to rule on a complaint about an agreement authorized by the [rabbinical] court or a verdict it issued, including enforcing the agreement or ruling, revoking it, changing or interpreting it," says the bill, drafted by the rabbinical courts' legal department. Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman, however, denied that he was trying to expand the rabbinical courts' powers, as was reported in Haaretz on Monday. "Nothing of the sort," Neeman said. "No such thing." He said information leaked from his bureau was false. Currently, suits stemming from a divorce agreement must be filed in civil court, so the bill would essentially transfer this power from the civil to the rabbinical courts. The bill goes further than previous proposals, in giving rabbinical courts sole authority to hear suits against husbands who refuse to grant their wives a divorce, thus depriving these women of their current right to file such suits in civil court. The bill - a government bill - was presented by the rabbinical courts' management to the Justice Ministry in preparation for its submission to the Knesset. The bill follows promises that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party made to Shas during the coalition negotiations. It has been distributed to officials from the cabinet and Chief Rabbinate. Neeman's spokesman said yesterday that "the minister knows of no such bill as the one described in the report. Such a proposal was not laid on his table and he objects to the proposal as described in the report." He said Neeman also intended to meet officials objecting to expanding the rabbinical courts' jurisdiction. However, Haaretz has learned that although the proposal is incomplete, it's the only one to have been presented to the Justice Ministry's legislation department on the issue. The draft, which empowers rabbinical courts even more than previous proposals had, gives the rabbinical courts authority that had been denied them by the High Court of Justice. The bill would authorize the rabbinical courts to rule on suits against husbands who refuse to divorce their wives "on the basis of Torah laws." In April 2006 the High Court reduced the rabbinical courts' powers and ruled that they were not authorized to rule on financial disputes and other issues where the law did not authorize them. The High Court ruled that any disputes deriving from a divorce settlement after its signature would be heard only in civilian courts and that rabbinical courts were not authorized to mediate in post-divorce disputes even if both sides agreed to it. In February 2008, cabinet minister Isaac Herzog pushed for a bill authorizing rabbinical courts to rule on civilian matters and disputes between divorced couples, if both parties agreed to this. The new proposal does not limit rabbinical courts' jurisdiction on disputes in which both sides agree to have their case heard by a rabbinical court. It stipulates that the issuing of a divorce settlement authorizes the rabbinical courts to debate any complaint or suit deriving from this settlement. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Stop Islamic terror Muslim cleric and Orthodox Rabbi denounce plot to bomb New York Jewish centers. Keep Temple Mount Islamic Movement blasts bid to relinquish sovereignty over Temple Mount.

Read & React Israel Harel: Obama wants to divide Jerusalem to woo the Arab world Responses: 132 Barak: We didn't bow to Obama on outpost evacuation Responses: 101 Four U.S. Muslims arrested in plot to bomb New York synagogue Responses: 83 Palestinians to agree to Islamic sovereignty over Temple Mount Responses: 65 Gideon Levy: Obama tore mask off of 'peace-loving' Israel Responses: 36 More Headlines 23:25 U.S. military: Nuke-armed Iran would be 'calamitous' 01:26 Yossi Melman / Obama quashed Israel military option against Iran 01:55 IAF drill simulates all-out regional war 00:43 Netanyahu: Jerusalem holy sites will remain Israeli forever 23:00 ANALYSIS / New York bomb plot highlights threat from independent attackers 23:54 Barak: We didn't bow to Obama on West Bank outpost evacuation 20:31 Senators urge Obama to 'mind' risk to Israel in two-state solution 00:06 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel 22:52 Ahmadinejad: I'm defending Iran's dignity by standing up to West 23:57 Hundreds attend funeral of American-Israeli teen, mourn their 'angel' 16:35 Lebanon complains to UN about alleged Israel espionage 23:53 FBI: New York terror suspects sought 'to bring death to Jews' 23:36 New York rabbi, iman denounce violence after bomb plot exposed Previous Editions Select Day 21 may 20 may 19 may 18 may 17 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may 11 may 10 may 08 may

Special Offers Advertisement hotel Jerusalem David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels. ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles Dead Sea Skin Care Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off! Camp Kimama Israel 2009 The best place for your children this summer Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |

| Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel

| Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved