Agreement On Divorce In The Shadow Of Law: An Economic Analysis On The Negotiation Of Couples In Consensual Divorce In Iranian Legal System

Document Type : Original Article

Author

PhD Private Law, Department of Law, University Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract
Nowadays, in many countries, couples agree on issues related to divorce, such‌ as alimony and custody, etc., and do not leave the decision to the courts. With this description, divorce can be imagined in two ways; Divorce at the request of one of the parties, either husband or wife, or divorce according to the agreement of the parties. Agreement on divorce is more efficient in terms of economic logic; The parties to the marriage contract agree on all financial and non-financial issues regarding the termination, taking into account their preferences, and finally, the provisions of the aforementioned agreement are announced and enforced through the court order. Agreement on divorce is affected by many factors, the most important of which is the law. One of the desirable roles of family law from the point of view of economists is to provide a platform where couples can agree on the manner and conditions of ending their marital relationship in a fair manner. In this article, by using library sources and using a descriptive-analytical method, we examine the effect of the law on the consensual settlement of divorce.The findings of this study indicate that ambiguities in the laws and judicial practice concerning divorce and its related issues—such‌as mahr, ojrat al-mithl and child custody—increase transaction costs, create opportunities for strategic behavior by the spouses, and hinder the achievement of divorce agreements. Conversely, greater legal clarity and the strengthening of protective mechanisms for the weaker party can facilitate negotiated divorce and lead to more efficient agreements

Keywords

Subjects

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