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If a Jewish wife admits to having committed adultery systematically throughout the marriage can this adversely affect her property rights ?

By: דיאנה שאלתיאלPublished on: 27 June, 2022

While an admission of adultery by a wife can result in her losing her right to maintenance and her rights in her Ketuba ( marriage contract ) at the rabbinical court, there should be no connection her adultery and her consequent loss of property rights. However, in November 2002 the Supreme Court of Justice held that where a wife admitted to having committed adultery for 12 out of her 17 years of marriage then this shows that her marriage was not harmonious – and has implications regarding her property rights . Where a wife marries before 1974 her property rights are governed by the principle of marital partnership and such behaviour can overturn the assumption of marital partnership and deprive the wife of her right to half of the property.


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