Al-Sameet: Marriage life course a prerequisite for formalizing marriage
- Given His Highness’s particular attention to the judiciary, His Highness reviewed the new admission mechanism for the Public Prosecution.
- A “threatening fine” imposed on a divorced woman if she unjustifiably denies her ex-husband access to their children.
- The possibility for the divorced father to speak with his children daily via video call at any time to ensure their well-being.
- Over the past year and four months, we have completed 300 legislative measures, and we aim to reform 40 percent of the system.
- The electronic agencies project will soon be launched to determine the legal effect of each agency and link it to government systems.
Justice Minister and Legal Advisor Nasser Al-Sumait confirmed that the Notarization Law has been finalized and is receiving its final touches before its issuance in the near future. He noted that it “will include several amendments, such as imposing a ‘threatening fine’ determined by the judge if a divorced woman unjustifiably denies her ex-husband access to their children, in addition to allowing the father to speak with his children daily via video call, directly and at any time, to ensure their well-being.”
This statement came during a press interview with Al-Sumait, who was inspecting the written electronic exams held at Kuwait University for graduates of the 2024/2025 academic year who applied for the position of “Junior Legal Researcher,” a qualification eligible for the role of “Assistant Public Prosecutor (Grade C).” He was accompanied by Kuwait University President Dr. Dina Al-Milhem, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Justice Awatef Al-Sand, and the head of the Judicial Admissions Committee and its members.
The Minister stated that “the Notarization Law will require those planning to marry to attend a special course on marital life and will grant both parties a certificate as a condition for notarizing marriage contracts, aiming to reduce divorce rates and raise awareness among spouses about the importance and sanctity of married life and how to preserve it.” He clarified that “the law includes a trend toward electronically notarizing marriage contracts and linking them to government systems, including those of the Ministry of Health and Civil Information, while electronically verifying the wife’s identity, presence, and consent through the marriage officiant.”
He emphasized that “the Personal Status Law has not yet been finalized and is awaiting responses from relevant authorities,” noting that the law will determine the amount of child support, ensuring it is not variable from one person to another.
Legal Advisor Al-Sumait mentioned that “the Ministry is implementing a comprehensive plan to develop the judicial and legislative system, targeting the resolution of causes behind the surge in case numbers and updating laws and procedures to achieve expeditious justice and enhance judicial efficiency.” He pointed out that the current Kuwaitization rate in the judiciary stands at 87 percent, with expectations to rise to 92 percent by September 30, 2027, reaching 100 percent by September 30, 2030. He stressed that Kuwaitizing the judiciary is “a primary requirement for the state.”
He explained that “the new mechanism for selecting Public Prosecution members represents a significant leap in standardizing evaluation criteria, reinforcing justice and transparency, and ensuring equal opportunities for applicants.” He added, “Given the special attention His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, pays to the judiciary, His Highness has reviewed the new admission mechanism for the Public Prosecution, the most notable innovation of which is conducting exams electronically according to unified and clear standards.”
He clarified that the Kuwait Institute for Judicial and Legal Studies is responsible for preparing the exam questions, which are administered electronically at Kuwait University. Each applicant receives their results immediately before leaving the exam venue, followed by personal interviews before the Judicial Admissions Committee.
He added that “855 male and female graduates of the 2024–2025 academic year applied for the position, and 632 of them met the prescribed conditions to sit for the exam,” emphasizing that “sons and daughters of the nation stand on an equal footing, and merit based on objective results is the decisive factor in the selection process.”
He clarified that “the new mechanism was applied for the first time following the cancellation of the previous admission list in July 2025 and the reorganization of selection procedures. The results showed a 55 percent difference between the names on the new admission list and the cancelled one. The new list included 73 names that were not on the previous list, while 59 individuals were accepted on both lists.”
On the sidelines of the tour, Minister Al-Sumeit met with journalists, noting that “the Ministry has completed approximately 300 legislative amendments, repeals, and new enactments, along with international agreements and memoranda of understanding, within a year and four months.” He affirmed that work is ongoing to update nearly 40 percent of the existing legislative framework.
Regarding the file of combating crime, he explained that “the recent legislative amendments have directly impacted crime rates,” citing a 92 percent decline in crimes against employees and workers. He added that the greatest impact will come with the issuance of the new Penal Code, which includes a modern system of crimes and alternative penalties, as well as the criminalization of certain dangerous acts that are not currently illegal.
He pointed out that “the Ministry is working in parallel on a package of important laws, most notably the new Lawyers Law, the Commercial Arbitration Law, the Rent Law, the Notarization Law, amendments to the Civil Code, and laws concerning juveniles, children, and personal status, in addition to legislation related to the economic, procedural, and insurance systems.”
The Minister revealed the imminent launch of the “Electronic Agencies Project,” which aims to ensure the legal effect of each agency is defined and linked to government systems, so that their validity automatically expires upon the death of the principal or the issuance of a guardianship order against them. This initiative contributes to reducing disputes and the exploitation of agencies after death.
He stressed that “the Ministry has made significant progress in reorganizing the National Authority for Human Rights by enhancing its independence, granting it immunity for its actions, and providing it with an independent budget. The Minister of Justice is not permitted to interfere in its work, and government entities are required to cooperate with it and provide the information it requests.”
The Minister of Justice noted that the Ministry is also working to fill supervisory positions, including managers, inspectors, and department heads, through electronic and written tests and personal interviews, expecting to complete the placement process before the end of the year.
He emphasized that the speed of legislative achievement does not imply haste, explaining that “every law or amendment undergoes study from various perspectives and consultation with experts. The ultimate goal is to build a more efficient legal and judicial system and address problems at their roots, which will directly reflect on society.”
Al-Sumeit announced the reopening of applications for the position of “Junior Legal Researcher” in November for graduates of the 2025–2026 academic year. This step continues the effort to supply the Public Prosecution with new national cadres and accelerate the process of Kuwaitization, in accordance with the provisions of the new Judicial Organization Law No. 80 of 2026, which sets a maximum period of five years to complete the Kuwaitization of the judiciary and the Public Prosecution. He affirmed that the Ministry is proceeding along an institutional path to prepare and qualify a new generation of Public Prosecution members, who will uphold the trust of justice, safeguard societal rights, and uphold the rule of law.
The minister spoke about the Ministry of Justice’s projects aimed at developing litigation procedures, announcing a 20 percent decline in the number of cases before the courts over six months, amounting to approximately 111,000 cases. He emphasized that “the Ministry is working to address the root causes of case inflation, rather than merely increasing the number of judges.”
He added that “amending the performance order system contributed to a 36 percent reduction in such cases, after making recourse to them optional rather than mandatory, alongside resolving the issue of cases being sent back to the starting point when an appeal is accepted, so that the court that accepts the appeal rules on the merits of the case.”
The minister noted that “all power-of-attorney agencies will be abolished by the end of 2027 and replaced with electronic ones, available in various colors and with a maximum duration of five years. These will replace bank powers of attorney and can be revoked directly through the ‘Sahel’ app. The Ministry will also provide a translation service for powers of attorney and authenticate them directly through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to save time and effort for those who wish to use the service.”
