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Blood Relations, Broken Rights: Mediation as a Socio-Legal Mechanism in Heirs’ Land Ownership and Control Disputes in Indonesia

Journal of Private and Commercial Law · Vol. 8 No. 1 (2024) · pp. 29–52

DOI
10.15294/jpcl.v8i1.1313
ISSN
2599-0306, 2599-0314
Published
2024-05-25
Publisher
Universitas Negeri Semarang
Language
eng
License
creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0

Abstract

Inheritance-related land disputes in Indonesia remain a persistent legal and social issue due to the country’s pluralistic legal system, which integrates statutory law, customary (adat) law, and Islamic inheritance principles. This study examines the role of mediation as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism in resolving conflicts over heirs’ land ownership and control rights. It emphasizes mediation as both a procedural legal instrument and a socio-legal approach that accommodates family values and local wisdom in dispute settlement. Using doctrinal and socio-legal methods, the study analyzes Law No. 30 of 1999 on Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution and Supreme Court Regulation (PERMA) No. 1 of 2016 on Court-Annexed Mediation, alongside their application in inheritance land disputes. Findings indicate that conflicts among heirs arise from unclear inheritance distribution, overlapping claims, and tensions between formal legal norms and customary practices, often escalating into litigation with prolonged uncertainty and weakened family relations. The study finds that mediation provides a flexible, efficient, and restorative alternative to adversarial litigation. It enables parties to reach mutually agreed settlements that ensure legal certainty and preserve social harmony, reflecting Indonesian dispute resolution values. Challenges remain regarding mediator competence, enforcement of agreements, and varying acceptance across legal traditions. This study contributes to Indonesian legal scholarship by offering a socio-legal analysis of mediation in inheritance land disputes and its role in harmonizing state, customary, and Islamic laws. For a global audience, it provides insights into how legal pluralism shapes dispute resolution in non-Western contexts, offering lessons for comparative studies of alternative dispute resolution and hybrid legal systems.

Keywords

Collaboration network of the authors

40 authors · 145 co-authorship links · showing the 40 most connected

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  • State University of Semarang
  • Affiliation unknown
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  • Same organisation
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Show as table
Co-authorOrganisationJoint articles
Ridwan ArifinAffiliation unknown10
Waspiah WaspiahAffiliation unknown10
Rodiyah RodiyahAffiliation unknown6
Anis WidyawatiAffiliation unknown6
Yustina Dhian NovitaAffiliation unknown6
Baidhowi BaidhowiAffiliation unknown5
Asmarani RamliAffiliation unknown4
Pratama Herry HerlambangAffiliation unknown3
Dede Alvin SetiajiAffiliation unknown2
Ahmad Habib Al FikryAffiliation unknown2
Fezer TamasAffiliation unknown2
Ahmad HabiburrahmanAffiliation unknown2
Rahmawati Melati SaniState University of Semarang2
Choirul FuadAffiliation unknown2
Seni Ira Maya RasidahAffiliation unknown2
Kartika Fajar CahyaniAffiliation unknown1
Adinda Ratna PertiwiAffiliation unknown1
Anita Indah WidiastutiAffiliation unknown1
Adelia Setya AyuAffiliation unknown1
Dyah MayaAffiliation unknown1
Anisa Endah Dwi SafitriAffiliation unknown1
Lyna LatifahAffiliation unknown1
Rohadhatul AisyAffiliation unknown1
Shofriya Qonitatin AbidahAffiliation unknown1
Siti Amatil UlfiyahAffiliation unknown1
Amel Ellsamia IndiyaniAffiliation unknown1
Adilia Putri KusumaState University of Semarang1
Heru SetyantoAffiliation unknown1
Helda RahmasariAffiliation unknown1
Ade AdhariAffiliation unknown1
Muhammad Wahyu Saiful HudaAffiliation unknown1
Syahlila Umaya AstrovanapoeAffiliation unknown1
Tia AmaliaAffiliation unknown1
Muhammad Wildan Aulia FahmiAffiliation unknown1
R Benny RiyantoAffiliation unknown1
Nurul FibriantiAffiliation unknown1
Emmanuel LaryeaAffiliation unknown1

Affiliations come from OpenAlex; journal OAI-PMH metadata carries none. Authors without an OpenAlex ID are matched by name, which can merge or split people.

Metadata source: OAI-PMH (metadata jurnal) https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/jpcl/oai, first harvested 6 Nov 2026, last seen 8 Nov 2026.
Original metadata (oai_dc) 
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	<dc:title xml:lang="en">Blood Relations, Broken Rights: Mediation as a Socio-Legal Mechanism in Heirs’ Land Ownership and Control Disputes in Indonesia</dc:title>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Aldyan, Norafiq</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Latifiani, Dian</dc:creator>
	<dc:creator xml:lang="en">Nugraha, Nur Arif</dc:creator>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Mediation</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Indonesian Inheritance Law</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Land Disputes</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Adat Law</dc:subject>
	<dc:subject xml:lang="en">Alternative Dispute Resolution</dc:subject>
	<dc:description xml:lang="en">Inheritance-related land disputes in Indonesia remain a persistent legal and social issue due to the country’s pluralistic legal system, which integrates statutory law, customary (adat) law, and Islamic inheritance principles. This study examines the role of mediation as an alternative dispute resolution mechanism in resolving conflicts over heirs’ land ownership and control rights. It emphasizes mediation as both a procedural legal instrument and a socio-legal approach that accommodates family values and local wisdom in dispute settlement. Using doctrinal and socio-legal methods, the study analyzes Law No. 30 of 1999 on Arbitration and Alternative Dispute Resolution and Supreme Court Regulation (PERMA) No. 1 of 2016 on Court-Annexed Mediation, alongside their application in inheritance land disputes. Findings indicate that conflicts among heirs arise from unclear inheritance distribution, overlapping claims, and tensions between formal legal norms and customary practices, often escalating into litigation with prolonged uncertainty and weakened family relations. The study finds that mediation provides a flexible, efficient, and restorative alternative to adversarial litigation. It enables parties to reach mutually agreed settlements that ensure legal certainty and preserve social harmony, reflecting Indonesian dispute resolution values. Challenges remain regarding mediator competence, enforcement of agreements, and varying acceptance across legal traditions. This study contributes to Indonesian legal scholarship by offering a socio-legal analysis of mediation in inheritance land disputes and its role in harmonizing state, customary, and Islamic laws. For a global audience, it provides insights into how legal pluralism shapes dispute resolution in non-Western contexts, offering lessons for comparative studies of alternative dispute resolution and hybrid legal systems.</dc:description>
	<dc:publisher xml:lang="en">Universitas Negeri Semarang</dc:publisher>
	<dc:date>2024-05-25</dc:date>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/article</dc:type>
	<dc:type>info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion</dc:type>
	<dc:type xml:lang="en">Peer-reviewed Article</dc:type>
	<dc:format>application/pdf</dc:format>
	<dc:identifier>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/jpcl/article/view/1313</dc:identifier>
	<dc:identifier>10.15294/jpcl.v8i1.1313</dc:identifier>
	<dc:source xml:lang="en">Journal of Private and Commercial Law; Vol. 8 No. 1 (2024): May, 2024; 29-52</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2599-0306</dc:source>
	<dc:source>2599-0314</dc:source>
	<dc:language>eng</dc:language>
	<dc:relation>https://journal.unnes.ac.id/journals/jpcl/article/view/1313/1298</dc:relation>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">Copyright (c) 2024 Norafiq Aldyan, Dian Latifiani, Nur Arif Nugraha (Author)</dc:rights>
	<dc:rights xml:lang="en">https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0</dc:rights>
</oai_dc:dc>