A Mehr is a payment made in the form of money, possessions, or anything else agreed upon by a bride during an Islamic wedding. Alternately spelled as mahr, meher, mehrieh, or mahriyeh, this payment is mentioned several times in the Quran and Hadith, and is very different from a dowry. Unlike a dowry, Mehr payments are made by the groom or his family to the bride and immediately become her property. But are these agreements binding in the state of Texas? Perhaps, but only to an extent.
There has been some work in Texas to establish the Mehr as a type of prenuptial agreement, though there has been no official court decision regarding its enforcement. Part of this stems from the fact that a Mehr is a religious agreement and not part of civil marriage proceedings. Part of it stems from the traditionally informal ways in which a Mehr is agreed upon. If there are no signed documents, there is no agreement to be enforced, making it extremely difficult for courts to rule in favor of the bride. There are, however, ways to work around this while protecting the legal interests of all involved parties.
Prenuptial Agreements
Houston divorce lawyer Yasmin Kutty may suggest a formal pre-marital agreement be drawn up and signed by the bride and groom to eliminate any confusion regarding the Mehr. Once signed, this document – which can include the Mehr along with other possessions and property – becomes legally binding and is enforceable by Texas family courts. There are, of course, some exceptions to this and complications cannot always be avoided, but Attorney Kutty will discuss all of these with you during your initial consultation to help ensure you fully understand your rights, obligations, and options under Texas family law.
If you would like to discuss your Mehr agreement with an experienced family law attorney in Texas, please contact the Kutty Law Firm today. Located in Sugar Land, Mrs. Kutty serves families living in The Woodlands, Houston, Katy, and all surrounding communities.
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