Navigating Marriage Dispensation in Indonesia
Marriage Age, Judicial Discretion, and Legal Culture through Friedman’s Theory
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24252/shautuna.v7i3.71596Keywords:
Marriage Dispensation, Child Marriage, Friedman’s Legal System Theory, Marriage Law, Socio-LegalAbstract
The increase in Indonesia’s minimum marriage age under Law No. 16 of 2019 was intended to strengthen child-marriage prevention. However, the marriage-dispensation mechanism under Article 7(2) creates an exception whose application may complicate the achievement of this objective. Previous studies have documented the increasing number of marriage-dispensation applications but have paid less attention to how legal norms, judicial practices, and socio-cultural pressures interact in shaping judicial decisions. This study examines how these dimensions influence marriage-dispensation practices in Indonesia. Using a socio-legal approach, the study analyzes 19 marriage-dispensation decisions recorded in the Supreme Court Decision Directory between 2023 and 2026 through Lawrence M. Friedman’s legal system theory, encompassing legal substance, legal structure, and legal culture. The findings reveal three interconnected patterns. First, the statutory requirement of “very urgent reasons” under Article 7(2) lacks sufficiently specific and measurable criteria, leaving considerable interpretive space for judges. Second, judicial decisions demonstrate substantial reliance on judicial discretion in determining urgency, with all 19 cases in the sample being granted. Third, legal culture significantly shapes judicial reasoning, particularly through concerns about zina, social stigma, family shame, and community expectations. The study’s novelty lies in demonstrating how gaps in legal substance are mediated by judicial discretion and reinforced by legal-cultural considerations, thereby producing a recurring pattern of marriage-dispensation approval. The findings highlight the importance of clearer standards for assessing urgency while recognizing the socio-cultural context of judicial decision-making.
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