Family law amendment proposal endorsedKUWAIT CITY, Feb 13: The National Assembly approved in its regular session Tuesday a draft law allowing non-Kuwaitis to join the Kuwait Army in its first reading. This came after the Assembly discussed the report of the Interior and Defense Affairs Committee on the proposal to amend Article 29 of Kuwait Army Law number 32/1967.Article One of the draft law states that Article 29 of law number 32/1967 shall be replaced with the following text: (a) Non-Kuwaitis will be temporarily accepted as military officers or experts in the Army through secondment or contracting under the terms and conditions of a decree which shall be issued within three months from the date of implementing this law. (b) If necessary, non-Kuwaiti volunteers will be accepted as non-commissioned officers and civilians in accordance with the decision of the defense minister. GCC volunteers shall be treated like Kuwaitis.The Assembly also endorsed the proposal to amend Family Court Law number 12/2015 in its first reading. Article One of the bill states that articles One, Eight and Nine; paragraphs four, 11, 12, 13 – paragraphs one and 17 – second paragraph of law number 12/ 2015 shall be replaced with the following: The Family Court, which has an independent seat, shall have jurisdiction over petitions against judgments issued by the Appeals Court. The headquarters of the Family Court must be ready not later than two years from the date of implementing this law.While preparing this court’s premises, the Supreme Judiciary Council shall allocate the headquarters of special sections of the Family Court within the premises of courts in all governorates. Article Eight of the bill stipulates that each governorate shall have a center affiliated to the Family Court. This center shall settle family disputes and protect members of the family from violence and abuse. It shall advice on matters related to marriage and divorce. The Ministry of Justice will organize this center and determine its functions. Article Nine, fourth paragraph states that the center may, at the time of settlement, use the opinion of any of religious scholar, social expert, psychiatrist or lawyer listed on the special timetable prepared in the Supreme Court for this purpose.The general assembly of the Family Court shall appoint one or more judges in charge of urgent matters to adjudicate temporarily as follows: (a) urgent matters related to personal status, (b) disputes and problems related to temporary execution of judgments and orders issued by the Family Court and its appeal circuits. The general assembly of the Court of Appeals shall mandate the urgent appeal chambers to adjudicate on petitions against rulings on cases referred to the Family Court. First paragraph of Article 13 states that judgments on personal status matters from the appeal circuits of the Family Court can be challenged at the Cassation Court. National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Ali Al-Ghanem adjourned the session until Wednesday when the minister of justice said they should not hasten in approving the bill in its second reading, as the proposed amendment related to the Cassation Court needs further study.By Abubakar A. Ibrahim Arab Times Staff