ABU DHABI // Divorced mothers should retain custody of their daughters until they marry if doing otherwise would be damaging for the child, the federal supreme court has ruled.
The judgement came in the case of a 13-year-old girl in Sharjah. While article 156 of the Personal Affairs Law states that a mother maintains custody of her sons until they are 11 and daughters until 13, it allows this to be extended - until puberty for boys and marriage for girls - if it is believed to be in the youngster's best interests.
The court explained that custody takes into consideration the rights of the father, the mother and the child. If those clash, the child's welfare takes priority.
The girl's father had filed a lawsuit at the Sharjah personal affairs court to take over custody of his daughter from his ex-wife, as the girl had reached the age of 13.
The lower court ruled in his favour, a decision upheld on appeal. The federal supreme court, however, reversed the decision, ruling that the mother's custody should be extended.
It did not say why this was in the daughter's best interest, only that she was at an age where she could not leave her mother's custody. Moreover, nothing in the case files proved the mother was incapable of maintaining custody.
hdajani@thenational.ae
Indoor cricket in a nutshell
Indoor Cricket World Cup - Sep 16-20, Insportz, Dubai
16 Indoor cricket matches are 16 overs per side
8 There are eight players per team
9 There have been nine Indoor Cricket World Cups for men. Australia have won every one.
5 Five runs are deducted from the score when a wickets falls
4 Batsmen bat in pairs, facing four overs per partnership
Scoring In indoor cricket, runs are scored by way of both physical and bonus runs. Physical runs are scored by both batsmen completing a run from one crease to the other. Bonus runs are scored when the ball hits a net in different zones, but only when at least one physical run is score.
Zones
A Front net, behind the striker and wicketkeeper: 0 runs
B Side nets, between the striker and halfway down the pitch: 1 run
C Side nets between halfway and the bowlers end: 2 runs
D Back net: 4 runs on the bounce, 6 runs on the full
Director: Laxman Utekar
Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna
Rating: 1/5
Ahmed Raza
UAE cricket captain
Age: 31
Born: Sharjah
Role: Left-arm spinner
One-day internationals: 31 matches, 35 wickets, average 31.4, economy rate 3.95
T20 internationals: 41 matches, 29 wickets, average 30.3, economy rate 6.28
