JEDDAH, 27 October 2004 — The first session of Rania Al-Baz’s divorce case was scheduled yesterday, but the judge did not show up. After waiting for two hours, the lawyers for Rania and her husband Muhammad Al-Fallata agreed to postpone the hearing and it was rescheduled after four months. Al-Fallata also did not show up which meant that the hearing had to be postponed anyway.

In the meantime, however, the lawyers set up a meeting tomorrow in Al-Fallata’s lawyer’s office with Al-Fallata to reach a settlement.

“Tell him that I will never return to him and that I’m not going to compromise on my rights anymore... I’ve compromised enough in the past and look what happened to my face,” said Rania to Al-Fallata’s lawyer. “No matter how long it takes in the courts, I will not settle for anything other than a final divorce,” said Rania, a former television announcer who was badly beaten up by her husband a few months ago.

The hearing was scheduled for 10 a.m., but perhaps because it is Ramadan and 10 a.m. is still early, the court was not crowded. The court is a big austere old building with many smaller annex buildings reached by outdoor walkways in a maze-like layout.

In these smaller buildings is where judges have their offices and hearing rooms. In one of them, at a little after 10 a.m., Rania sat on torn couches in a narrow, stuffy waiting area. Men, old and young, carrying their case files began filling the room after checking with the judge’s clerks on his arrival. They began discussing their cases, each complaining of how many times they came to the court and had to reschedule their hearings because of the judge’s delays or postponements for any reason.

Al-Fallata’s lawyer showed up an hour later. Rania called her lawyer, Dr. Omar Al-Khouli, who was on his way. Al-Fallata’s lawyer said he did not receive a copy of the suit from the court and was going to ask for a delay. She was anxious and nervous but put on a brave face and a hopeful attitude.

Rania spoke of her future work plans and being involved with various local and international organizations for supporting women. “Many abused women call me now and ask for my advice, but there is really not much that I or anyone can do for them. I really wish that some kind of system is set up where women can access help and security,” she told Arab News.

The lawyers checked with the clerks again and were told that they have no idea when the judge would arrive. Someone said that the day before, he only came in for an hour. The lawyers rescheduled the hearing and then left.

The judge’s absence is apparently a normal thing in Saudi courts. “A case might be delayed for a year because of that. In the case of Rania, a divorce sentence might be reached after two to five years because of the judge being absent and him trying to conciliate between the disputing parties,” said Al-Khouli.

If a settlement is reached, and this is what Al-Khouli prefers to save time and further hardships for Rania, then the lawyers can present an officially signed contract to the judge and the case will be over.

As far as Rania is concerned, she is adamant about getting a divorce. “I hate him, I hate him, I hate him.”