The parties were married on 18 December 1998 before an official marriage registrar from the local Office of Religious Affairs. Over a six-year period, the parties lived with the applicant's parents, and then with the respondent's grandmother. The parties also had one child.
In December 2004, the applicant went to Japan to work. Then, one day in 2006, the respondent left the parties' residence in Blitar without informing the applicant. For the next seven years and 11 months, up until the date of the proceeding, the applicant remained unaware of the respondent's whereabouts. As the parties had been apart for more than two consecutive years, the applicant requested that the the court grant him a revocable divorce (talak satu raj'i).
In the respondent's absence, the court acceded to the applicant's request, pursuant to art 19(b) of Government Regulation No. 9 of 1975, and art 116(b) of the Compilation of Islamic Laws.