The Optimization of Islah in Divorce Cases Decided by Default Judgment at the Sanggau Religious Court

Optimalisasi Islah dalam Perceraian pada Putusan Verstek di Pengadilan Agama Sanggau

Abstract

Divorce cases decided by default judgment (verstek) prevent mediation from being conducted due to the defendant’s absence during court proceedings. This condition raises the question of how the principle of ishlah (reconciliation) may still be pursued in judicial reasoning when divorce cases are examined without the presence of one of the parties. This study aims to analyze the optimization of the principle of ishlah in judges’ legal reasoning in default divorce cases at the Sanggau Religious Court. This research employed normative legal research with a qualitative approach, using statutory and case approaches to examine 15 default divorce judgments issued by the Sanggau Religious Court. Legal materials were collected through library research using purposive sampling and analyzed descriptively. The findings indicate that the formal implementation of ishlah is constrained because mediation cannot be conducted in the absence of the defendant. Nevertheless, the values of ishlah remain reflected in judicial reasoning, particularly through the assessment of legal facts, the degree of marital breakdown, the possibility of preserving the marriage, and considerations of the parties’ welfare before a divorce judgment is rendered. The study concludes that the optimization of the principle of ishlah in default divorce cases is manifested not only through formal mediation but also through the internalization of reconciliation and welfare values in judicial reasoning, ensuring that divorce is treated as a measure of last resort.

Perkara perceraian yang diputus secara verstek menyebabkan mediasi sebagai sarana perdamaian tidak dapat dilaksanakan karena ketidakhadiran tergugat dalam persidangan. Kondisi tersebut menimbulkan persoalan mengenai bagaimana prinsip islah tetap diupayakan dalam pertimbangan hukum hakim ketika perkara perceraian diperiksa tanpa kehadiran salah satu pihak. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis optimalisasi prinsip islah dalam pertimbangan hukum hakim pada perkara perceraian verstek di Pengadilan Agama Sanggau. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian hukum normatif dengan pendekatan kualitatif melalui pendekatan perundang-undangan dan pendekatan kasus terhadap 15 putusan perceraian verstek di Pengadilan Agama Sanggau. Pengumpulan bahan hukum dilakukan melalui studi kepustakaan dengan teknik purposive sampling dan dianalisis secara deskriptif. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pelaksanaan islah secara formal mengalami keterbatasan karena mediasi tidak dapat dilaksanakan akibat ketidakhadiran tergugat. Meskipun demikian, nilai-nilai islah tetap tercermin dalam pertimbangan hukum hakim, khususnya melalui penilaian terhadap fakta hukum, tingkat keretakan rumah tangga, kemungkinan keberlanjutan perkawinan, serta kemaslahatan para pihak sebelum putusan perceraian dijatuhkan. Penelitian ini menyimpulkan bahwa optimalisasi prinsip islah dalam perkara perceraian verstek tidak hanya tercermin melalui mediasi formal, tetapi juga melalui internalisasi nilai perdamaian dan kemaslahatan dalam pertimbangan hukum hakim sehingga perceraian ditempatkan sebagai jalan terakhir bagi para pihak.