ABSTRACT

The United Kingdom is characterized by a model of coexistence between ethnicities and religions that favors the preservation of the cultural particularities of social groups, also thanks to the promotion of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms offered by religious denominations. This article, considering family matters, focuses on some inter-judicial dynamics between the normative systems of Islam and Sikhism and secular law. On the one hand, it analyzes several state court judgements regarding Muslim marriage and the legal cooperation provided by Sharia Councils; on the other, it explores the founding process of the Sikh Court, which, in the opinion of its promoters, would be able to reconcile the need of believers to regulate their legal relationships according to the dictates of their religion with the protection of human rights and the fundamental principles of secular law.