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Abstract

The unstoppable tide of globalism not only brings an increasing commercial interconnectivity between nations, but also bonds of matrimony, and in turn, the chance of divorce. Indonesian courts entertaining international divorce cases is certainly not a rarity, neither divorce of the international mixed marriage nor the marriage that was held abroad. With two recent divorce cases having a foreign element, Indonesian courts declared having no jurisdiction under grounds of “litis pendentie” and forum non-convenience, including one by the Indonesian Supreme Court. In three other cases, the courts, after addressing the preliminary question of marriage, applied the “lex fori”, or Indonesian marriage law, as the applicable law to decide grounds of divorce. This article will thus examine five cases based on the principles of Indonesian private international law; firstly, on how Indonesian courts state that it has an authority to settle the submitted claims; and secondly, settling the case according to its law, as in line with the principle of “lex fori”. This research employs normative juridical research upon five cases of divorce that was settled before the Indonesian courts. This article finds that Indonesian judges imply international civil procedural law and Indonesian law as the applicable law in settling the divorce cases in question accordingly.

References

Journal Articles and Periodicals

Allagan, Tiurma M. Pitta. “The Bill on Indonesian Private International Law.” Netherlands Private International Law 33, no.3 (2015): 390-403.

Cammack, Mark and R. Michael Feener. “The Islamic Legal System in Indonesia,” Pacific Rim Law & Policy Journal 21, no. 1 (December 2011): 13-42.

Carbone, June and Margaret F. “Rethinking Marriage: Feminist Ideology, Economic Change, and Divorce Reform.” Tulane Law Review 65, (1991): 953-1009,

Gautama, Sudargo. “Interpersonal Law in Indonesia.”  Rabel Journal of Comparative and International Private Law, 29, no. 3 (1965): 545-573.

Hatfield, Hadrian N. “Private International Law Concepts in Divorce.” American Journal of Family Law 19, no. 2, (2005): 77-83.

Jacobs, Cody C. “In Defense of Territorial Jurisdiction.” University of Chicago 85, (2018): 1589 

Springer, Brian J. “An Inconvenient Truth: How Forum Non Conveniens Doctrine Allows Defendants to Escape State Court Jurisdiction.” University of Pennsylvania Law Review 163, no. 3 (2015): 835-837.

Books and Book Chapters

Abdurrahman, Kompendium Bidang Hukum Perkawinan: Perkawinan Beda Agama [Compendium on the Laws of Marriage: Mixed-Marriages]. Jakarta: Badan Pembinaan Hukum Nasional, 2011.

Baarsma, N.A.. The Europeanisation of International Law. Den Haag: Asser Press, 2011. 

Bogdan, Michael. Private International Law as Component of the Law of the Forum. Leiden: Brill Publisher, 2012.

Briggs, Adrian. Conflict of Laws, Third edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2013. 

Gautama, Sudargo. Aneka Masalah Dalam Praktek Pembaharuan Hukum di Indonesia. [Problems Concerning Law Development in Indonesia]. First Edition. Bandung: Citra Aditya Bakti, 1990.

Gautama, Sudargo. Hukum Perdata Internasional Indonesia buku ke-2. [Indonesian Private International Law Second Book]. Third Edition. Bandung: PT Eresco, 1986.

Gautama, Sudargo. Hukum Perdata Internasional Indonesia buku ke-8. [Indonesian Private International Law, Volume 8. Sixth Edition. Bandung: Binacipta, 1987.

Gautama, Sudargo. Pengantar Hukum Perdata Internasional Indonesia [Introduction to Private International Law]. Jakarta: Badan Pembinaan Hukum Nasional, 1977.

Gautama, Sudargo. Segi-Segi Hukum Peraturan Perkawinan Campuran [Aspects on the Law of Mixed-Marriage]. Bandung: Citra Aditya Bakti, 1996. 

Irianto, Sulistyowati. Pluralisme Hukum Waris dan Keadilan Perempuan. [The Pluralisme of Inheritance Law and Female Justice]. Jakarta: Yayasan Pustaka Obor, 2016. 

Mamudji, Sri, et. al. Metode Penelitian dan Penulisan Hukum. [Research Methods and Legal Writing]. Jakarta: Badan Penerbit Fakultas Hukum Universitas Indonesia, 2005.

Rabel, Ernst. The Conflict of Laws: A Comparative Study, Second Edition. Michigan: University of Michigan, 1969.

Sportel, Iris. Divorce in Transnational Families: Marriage, Migration, and Family Law. Cham: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. 

Statutes and Regulations 

Indonesia. Algemene Bepalingen van Wetgeving. S. 1874-23. (General Regulations Concerning Legislation for Indonesia. S. 1874-23).

Indonesia. Het Herziene Indonesisch Reglement S. 1941-44 (The Revised Indonesian Regulations S. 1941-44).

Indonesia. Undang-Undang tentang Perkawinan. UU No. 1 Tahun 1974. (The law on Marriage. Law No. 1 Year 1974). 

Indonesia. Reglement Op De Rechtsvordering. S. 1847-52, S.1849-63. (Rules of Procedure, S. 1847-52, S.1849-63)

 Indonesia. Undang Undang Tentang Peradilan Agama. UU No. 7 Tahun 1989. (Law on Religious Courts. Law No. 7 Year 1989)

 Indonesia. Instruksi Presiden Penyebarluasan Kompilasi Hukum Islam, Inpres No. 1 Tahun 1991. (Presidential Instruction on the Distribution of the Compilation of Islamic Law (“CIL”). Presidential Instruction No. 1 Year 1991).

Case Law

Indonesia

Indonesian Constitutional Court, Decision No. 38/PUU-IX/2011 [review on Law Number 1 Year 1974 on Marriage]. 

Indonesian Supreme Court. Decision No. 1544K/Pdt/2015, PRM v GTR, 26-27.

Indonesian Supreme Court, Decision No. 397/K/Ag/1995

United States

Ellen Luminta v Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. and Others No. 01-14-00207-CV (Tex. App. Aug. 27 2015)

England

Gulf Oil Corp. v Gilbert 330 U.S. 507 (1947),

Macmillian Inc v Bishopgate Investment Trust (No. 3) [1995] 1 WLR at 978, 988

Ogden v Ogden [1908] P. 46.

Udny v Udny [1869] Lr 1 Sc & Div 441

France

Anton v. Bartolo, Clunet (1891), 1171.

Other Sources

Allagan, Tiurma M. Pitta. Dissertation. “International Mixed Marriage in Indonesia and ASEAN”. Groningen: Ulrik Huber Instituut, 2019.

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