Marriage and family
Maintenance and custody of children
You can prepare on your own, but a lawyer will improve your chances.
A wife and children can claim maintenance through the Family Court, and the court can fix interim maintenance early in the case. Custody (hizanat) and meetings with the other parent are decided by the Guardian Court, which looks first at the child's welfare. A lawyer is recommended because these cases turn on evidence of income and care.
The law
Family Courts Act 1964; Guardians and Wards Act 1890
What to do
- 1
List the monthly costs of the children: school fees, food, rent, medical.
- 2
Collect anything that shows the other parent's income: job, business, property.
- 3
If a child has been taken away by force, go to a lawyer the same day.
- 4
Ask the lawyer to request interim maintenance and a meeting schedule at the first hearing.
Keep these ready
- Nikah nama and divorce papers, if any
- Children's B-forms and school records
- Receipts for children's expenses
- Proof of the other parent's income
General information, not legal advice. Checked against public sources in 2026. Laws and procedures change, and local practice differs between districts.