FAQ

Maintenance is an economic right defined by law as the general expenditure on food, clothing, housing, medical care, education, and any other necessities according to custom and tradition. Maintenance is determined by law within relationships of marriage or kinship.

The amounts awarded by the Fund are disbursed within a maximum period of fifteen days after completing the required documents. The awarded amounts are deposited directly into the bank account number provided by the applicant.

Anyone who has been issued a maintenance judgment (including children, wives, parents, and relatives—both minors and elderly who are unable to earn a living) by the competent court, with a final and binding ruling that is impossible to enforce, is entitled to benefit from the Fund. This applies to beneficiaries regardless of their place of residence, whether in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, occupied Jerusalem, or even in the diaspora.

It refers to the inability to collect the maintenance amount despite exhausting all available legal channels through the competent enforcement departments. This is proven through an official statement from the Enforcement Department indicating that "all legal procedures to collect the maintenance have been exhausted, and it is impossible to enforce the judgment."

It is a court ruling that has gone through all levels of judicial appeal and has become final and enforceable.

The idea behind the Palestinian Maintenance Fund is to ensure that maintenance judgments issued by Sharia courts are effectively enforced and not left merely as ink on paper. This is especially crucial given that only around 7.6% of such judgments are actually enforced through the enforcement departments.

• A written request submitted by the beneficiary explaining the reasons for approaching the Fund, including the decision number, issuing authority, date, and summary of the judgment.
• A declaration and undertaking from the beneficiary affirming that the maintenance has not been collected and accepting legal responsibility if proven otherwise.
• An official statement from the Enforcement Department indicating that the judgment has been submitted for enforcement and could not be enforced despite exhausting all legal procedures, along with the reason for non-enforcement.
• A certified copy of the judgment issued by the competent Sharia court.
• A statement from the issuing Sharia court confirming that the maintenance mentioned in the judgment has not been disbursed for any reason.
• A financial guarantee (bail bond) from a solvent guarantor.
• Proof of occupation and income of the guarantor.
• Copies of the IDs of the beneficiary and the guarantor.
• Birth certificates of the children if the judgment is for child maintenance.
• If the beneficiary resides outside the areas of the Palestinian National Authority, they must submit an official letter from the relevant authorities in their place of residence confirming that they have not received the maintenance or any part of it.
• If the obligated person resides abroad, the beneficiary must submit a letter from the relevant authorities confirming that there are no properties and/or lands registered under the name of the obligated person.

No, maintenance is not due during the engagement period, as maintenance becomes obligatory only upon the conclusion of a valid marriage contract.

(Article 67 of the Jordanian Personal Status Law No. 61 of 1976)

Yes, maintenance becomes due to the wife from the moment a valid marriage contract is concluded, even if she remains in her family’s home—unless the husband requests her to move in with him and she refuses without a valid reason.

(Article 67 of the Jordanian Personal Status Law No. 61 of 1976)

Yes, a wife is entitled to maintenance if she leaves the marital home for a legitimate reason. Legitimate reasons include being harmed by the husband through physical abuse or mistreatment.

(Article 69 of the Jordanian Personal Status Law)

A wife loses her right to maintenance if she is deemed rebellious (nashiz). A rebellious wife is one who leaves the marital home without a legitimate reason or prevents her husband from entering her home before requesting to move to another residence. Additionally, if a wife works outside the home without her husband's permission, she also forfeits her right to maintenance.

(Articles 68 and 69 of the Jordanian Personal Status Law)

No, maintenance lawsuits are not exempt from court fees. A symbolic fee of 3 Jordanian Dinars is charged if the lawsuit does not include a specific monetary claim. If the claim includes a specified amount of money, a fee of 2.5% of the claimed amount is charged, with a minimum of 15 Dinars and a maximum of 100 Dinars.

(Articles 5 and 6 of the Sharia Court Fees Regulation No. 55 of 1983)

Yes, the husband's salary may be garnished if he fails to comply with a maintenance judgment. Up to one-quarter (25%) of his salary may be withheld for this purpose.