Integrative Resolution of Toba Batak Customary Inheritance Disputes Involving Female Adopted Children and Legal Protection

Rana Nabilah Balqis; Salma Fauziyah Hanifah; Akbar Febrian

doi:10.37899/mjdpp.v3i3.386

Authors

Rana Nabilah Balqis Department of Law, Faculty of Law, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional (UPN) “Veteran” Jawa Timur, Surabaya
Salma Fauziyah Hanifah Department of Law, Faculty of Law, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional (UPN) “Veteran” Jawa Timur, Surabaya
Akbar Febrian Department of Law, Faculty of Law, Universitas Pembangunan Nasional (UPN) “Veteran” Jawa Timur, Surabaya

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.37899/mjdpp.v3i3.386

Keywords:

Adopted Children, Batak Toba, Customary Inheritance Law, Dispute Resolution, Legal Pluralism, Property Classification, Substantive Justice

Abstract

This study examines the legal position of female adopted children in Batak Toba customary inheritance disputes and proposes a dispute settlement model that ensures legal protection while preserving customary principles. The research employs a normative juridical method using statutory, case, and conceptual approaches, analysing legal materials through qualitative interpretation and deductive reasoning. The findings indicate that female adopted children are not automatically recognised as heirs due to the patrilineal kinship system, while inheritance disputes are driven by legal pluralism, weak adoption evidence, competing claims from paternal relatives, and unclear classification of inheritance property. The study introduces an integrative dispute settlement model consisting of verification of adoption status, classification of ancestral and self acquired property, customary deliberation through Dalihan Na Tolu, written settlement agreements, and judicial resolution as a final mechanism. The novelty of this research lies in its property based analytical approach and the formulation of a tiered legal model that integrates customary and formal legal systems. The findings contribute to strengthening legal pluralism theory and offer practical guidance for improving dispute resolution mechanisms in customary inheritance cases.

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