1. EFFECT OF MARRIAGE ON PERSONAL STATUS AND PROPERTY OF MARRIED WOMEN

2. Maintenance during marriage
torts
Personal status
criminal
3 broad aspects
torts
property
criminal
Maintenance during marriage

3. Common law Doctrine of unity
Blackstone’s Commentaries on the Laws of England:
“ By marriage, the husband and wife are one person in law; that the very being or legal existence of the woman is suspended during the marriage, or at least incorporated and consolidated into that of the husband; under whose wing, protection and covers she performs everything;…….”
husband
wife
One legal entity

4. Removed in England by the Law Reform (Husband and Wife ) Act 1962.
One legal entity ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?
Removed in England by the Law Reform (Husband and Wife ) Act 1962.

5. Position in malaysia Married Women Act 1957
Took effect on 1 August 1957 and was significantly amended in
Section 1(2)
Section 2
Section 3

6. Married women act 1957 criminal As in general (PC) Criminal s 9(3) (4)
Personal status
property
Torts
s 9(2)
Ss 4(a), 5, 9(1)
Teh Eng Kim (1977) 1 MLJ 234
Nagapushani v Neseratnam (1970) 2 MLJ 8
criminal
torts
s. 4 (b) (c ) (d)
S. 4(a) + 9(2)
s.6
Faridah Dato’ Talib v Mohammed Habibullah (1990 )1 MLJ 174
Yeo Bee Lin v Lee Eng Chee (2004) 1 CLJ 691
As in general (PC)