The "New Regulations on Bride Price" of the Supreme People's Court issued by the Longnan Chengxian Throwing Sand Judicial Office has recently aroused widespread attention and discussion from all walks of life. The new rules, which came into effect on 1 February, aim to clarify how to deal with bride price disputes in the case of soliciting property under the pretext of marriage or "flashing out" after marriage. As a provision of great social significance, the implementation of the new regulations not only has guiding significance for cases involving bride price disputes, but also has a far-reaching impact on the whole society.
The New Regulations make clear provisions on the determination of the bride price, emphasizing the difference between the bride price and the general gift during the relationship, taking into account the local customs of both parties, the time and method of payment, the value of the property, the giver and the recipient, and other facts. In addition, the provisions also expressly exclude some property that is not a bride price, such as small gifts paid at special commemorative points such as holidays or birthdays, and daily consumption expenditures. The people's courts generally do not support a request for the return of the bride price paid in accordance with custom for a husband and wife who have already registered their marriage and live together. However, in the case of a short period of living together and the amount of the bride price is too high, the actual use of the bride price and the dowry can be used to comprehensively consider whether to return the bride price and the specific proportion of the return.
The release of the new regulations has sparked widespread discussion and controversy on the Internet. Some argue that this provision provides a clear way to deal with bride price disputes and can reduce the occurrence of marital disputes. However, there are also questions about whether the new rules can completely avoid disputes caused by mental differences, and there are concerns that women in rural and remote areas will be treated unfairly in bride price disputes. In addition, some people have also questioned the amount of the bride price, arguing that the new regulations do not clearly stipulate the upper limit of the bride price, so it is easy to lead to excessive bride price fees.
There are certain similarities between the release of the new regulations and similar events that have occurred before. In the past bride price dispute cases, some marriages were short-lived and the bride price was huge, which aroused social concern about the chaos of bride price. In these cases, it is often the woman's request for the return of the bride price at the time of divorce that leads to disputes, and the parties often argue whether and what proportion of the bride price should be returned based on local customs and the specific use of the bride price. The implementation of the new regulations provides a clearer basis for handling such disputes, making the judgments of relevant cases more evidence-based.
The issuance of this new regulation also has an important impact on society as a whole. In rural areas, the issue of bride price has always been a hot issue in marriage, and the introduction of the new regulations provides a clearer solution to this type of problem, helping to reduce the occurrence of bride price disputes. However, in practice, it is still challenging to accurately determine whether a gift is a bride price and how to determine whether the bride price is too high. Therefore, we need to continue to pay attention to and study this issue with a view to developing more effective provisions to address the issue of bride price.
So far, no updates have been reported on the new rules. However, the formal implementation of the new regulations will inevitably lead to more trial and mediation of bride price disputes. We look forward to future cases that will help further improve the relevant legal provisions so that bride price disputes can be resolved more fairly and reasonably.
In short, the "New Bride Price Regulations" issued by the Supreme People's Court are an important measure to regulate and resolve bride price disputes. The implementation of this provision provides a clear basis for handling bride price disputes and reduces the occurrence of related disputes. However, the implementation of the new regulations still faces some challenges and problems, which need to be continuously adjusted and improved. This provision is of great significance for the resolution of bride price disputes, and also triggers more in-depth thinking about the chaos of bride price. We need further research and attention to this issue in order to promote the harmonious development of marriage and family relations.