What happens when a non-traditional marriage ends?

Malawi made waves with its Constitution and marriage laws for several reasons. The fact that they recognise a ‘marriage by repute or permanent cohabitation’, along with civil, customary and religious marriages, is one of them. The law also adds that all marriages thus recognised ‘shall have the same legal status’. But what happens when a marriage ‘by repute or permanent cohabitation’ comes to an end? A recent court decision throws more light on this question. Carmel Rickard explains further in her A Matter of Justice column on the Legalbrief site.