Implementation of the Marriage Registration Law in Marlojong Practices in Barumun Tengah District

Marlojong, commonly understood as elopement, often involves couples entering into marriage without completing customary stages, thereby raising legal questions when they subsequently seek official marriage documentation. This study examines the implementation of marriage registration law in cases involving marlojong in Barumun Tengah District, North Sumatra, focusing on the interplay among administrative guidance, religious assessments, and customary expectations. Adopting an empirical legal design with a qualitative approach, this study draws on interviews with three key informants—the Head of the local Office of Religious Affairs (Kantor Urusan Agama, KUA), a religious figure, and a customary figure—analyzed alongside relevant legislation and legal literature. The findings indicate that the KUA prescribes different procedures for couples seeking official marriage documentation depending on their specific circumstances, including conducting a new marriage ceremony or filing an application for isbat nikah (judicial confirmation of marriage). From a religious standpoint, the religious informant considered marlojong not inherently contrary to Islamic law, provided that the substantive requirements of marriage are fulfilled. Conversely, the customary informant viewed the omission of the patuaekkon procession as inconsistent with local customs and filial respect for parents. These findings demonstrate that administrative, religious, and customary assessments address distinct normative dimensions of the same practice. This study contributes a localized empirical analysis demonstrating why the appropriate legal procedure must be determined by each couple’s actual marital status rather than the marlojong label alone, and recommends clearer KUA guidelines distinguishing marriage solemnization, registration, and judicial confirmation.