Q: I want to divorce my husband; my concerns are as below; If the divorce proceeding is under Sharia Law, what are my chances when it comes to; 1. Child Custody & guardianship - I believe I will get the custody until age 11. My question is if the husband is unemployed for 6 months now, can he still be considered as guardian since he can't provide for the family? And if I can show that he has never been a provider for the family (basically, I pay ALL the bills since we got married) & I have a proof that he had an affair a year ago, can I get the guardianship as well & full custody? Can the child get an opportunity to choose where he wants to live with when he reaches puberty? 2. DIVISION OF ASSETS - Since I got a land inheritance from my parents, is he entitled to get 1/2 of the property? Obviously, he has no house/properties in his home country as well as savings and I am worried he will get everything. I own 50/50 in which he didn't sweat a dime on it. Awaiting your advice.

Q: I'm a US citizen from New York currently residing in Washington USA with my sister. I moved to Dubai around 3 years ago. I was working there but quit my job few months after I got married in Dubai on December 24, 2015. My husband is from Pakistan and resides in Dubai. He was living in my apartment after our marriage. As he physically and mentally abused me, I decided to leave Dubai, sell my stuff and come here to my sister. I had reported him to the police who had given him a warning letter. My first concern is how can I make sure he does not take away my daughter? Either he may come here or he may try to gain custody through Dubai Courts. Please let me know how I can have full custody of my child. Also now he believes he's free from any responsibility and said he will not give a single penny. Our daughter is 8 months old and US citizen as well. I need child support for my daughter. How can I get this? For my husband divorce is a joke. He said it multiple times and threatened me also.

Q: Dear Sir, My husband and I are separated. I have a 7-month-old baby to whom he provided no support whatsoever, however, he is holding all her IDs with the intention of harming me. Would it be possible to open a case and ask to be the guardian and custodian of the baby, so that all the rights will be with me and the so-called father will have no responsibilities nor rights over the child? Thank you. Best regards, Fatma

An interview-format article covering the topic of custody and guardianship in the UAE. This is from the legal podcast of lawyer Ludmila Yamalova, the founder of Lawgical with LYLAW.

UAE Personal Status Law (also known as Personal Affairs Law) governs marriage, divorce, inheritance and other personal affairs in the United Arab Emirates. The law equally applies to citizens of the UAE and non-citizens unless one of them asks for the application of his home country law.