Lesson 7 – FL PDF

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LESSON 7 CONSEQUENCES OF SEPARATION AND DIVORCE (I): CHILD CARE: 1. MEASURES TO BE TAKEN IN RELATION TO CHILDREN IN FAMILY BREAKDOWN CASES: 4 types of measures: 1. Measures of exercise of parental responsibilities: when we speak of parental responsibilities, we are in front of different faculties of...

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LESSON&7&–&CONSEQUENCES&OF&SEPARATION&AND&DIVORCE&(I):&CHILD&CARE:& ! 1.&MEASURES&TO&BE&TAKEN&IN&RELATION&TO&CHILDREN&IN&FAMILY&BREAKDOWN&CASES:&& 4&types&of&measures:& 1. Measures& of& exercise& of& parental& responsibilities:& when! we! speak! of! parental! responsibilities,! we! are! in! front! of! different! faculties! of! the! parents! regarding! children,! and! custody! it’s! just! a! manifestation! of! these! parental! responsibilities.! These! responsibilities,!as!a!wide!concept!include:! a. Custody!(sole!or!shared!custody).! b. Relationship&(contract&right)!with!non-custodial!parent!(in!case!of!sole!custody).! c. Exercise!of!parental&powers:!which!has!nothing!to!do!with!custody!or!contract!rights.! These!are!faculties!of!!the!parents!to!take!important!decisions!regarding!the!interest! of!the!children:!such!as! entering! into! a!medical! treatment,! attending!to!school!X! or! Y…!(even!if!the!parent!doesn’t!have!the!custody).!! 2. Measures!which!imply!contract&rights&of&the&children&with&other&persons!(grandparents,! siblings,!persons!not!being!relatives!but!having!a!close!relationship!with!the!family).! 3. Measures!regarding!contributions!to!child&maintenance.! 4. Measure!regarding!the!family&dwelling.&! ! 2.&THE&EURPEAN&PRINCIPLES&AND&ITS&TRANSLATION&TO&THE&CATALAN&CIVIL&CODE:& Regarding! children,! the! main! idea! to! keep! in! mind! is! that! the! general! rule! is:! parental& responsibilities& are& joint,! so! both! parents! for! the! fact! of! being! parents! share! the! parental! responsibilities! regarding! their! children,! even! if! they! are! together! or! divorced.! In! this! sense,! the!CCC!book!2!on!this!topic!is!inspired!in!the!European!Principles!on!Family!Law.!! & 2.1&PEFL&Regarding&Parental&responsibilities:& Principle& 3.10:!“Parental)responsibilities)should)neither)be)affected)by)the)dissolution…)of)the) marriage…) nor) by) the) legal) or) factual) separation) between) the) parents”.! à! once! you! are! a! father,!you!are!always!a!father.!! Translation&to& the&CCC& à & Sec.&233-8& CCC:!“1.)The)annulment)of)marriage,)the)divorce)or)the) judicial) separation) do) not) alter) the) responsibilities) of) both) parents) toward) their) children) […].) Accordingly,)these)responsibilities)maintain)their)shared)nature)and,)as)far)as)possible,)must)be) exercised)jointly”.! à! even!if!parents!are!separated!they!have!to!act!together,!in!the!measure! of!the!possible!.!! ! 2.2&Child&custody&arrangements:& PEFL!Regarding!Parental!Responsibilties.!Pr.&3:20:!! (1)) “If) parental) responsibilities) are) exercised) jointly) the) holders) of) parental) responsibilities) who)are)living)apart)should)agree)upon)whom)the)child)resides”.)) (2))“The)child)may)reside)on)an)alternate)basis)with)the)holders)of)parental)responsibilities) upon)either)an)agreement)approved)by)a)competent)authority)or)a)decision)by)a)competent) authority…”.)) & 3.&CHILD&CUSTODY&UNDER&THE&FAMILY&CODE&(1998):&& 3.1&The&law:&& Sec.& 82.2& Family& Code& (repealed& -& derogado):! “When) deciding)over)the) child)care,)the) judge) must) take) preferently) into) account) the) child’s) interest.) Before) reaching) a) decision,) the) judge) has)to)hear)the)children)over)the)age)of)12)and)also)those)under)this)age)if)they)have)sufficient) understanding”.))

à!As!we!can!see,!the!law!contained!neither& default& rules& or& guiding& criteria&other!than!the! preference!accorded!to!the!child’s!interest.!To!ascertain!this!interest,!children!had!to!be!heard.!! ! 3.2&The&practice:&& The!traditional!practice:! • Preference!for!sole&custody&arrangements,!with!broad&contact&rights&to!the!non-custodial! parent.! • Exceptional! admission! of! shared! custody! only) if) parents) agree) to) it) and) circumstances) permit.)) A!gradual!change!of!paradigm:!! • Admission!of!shared&custody&if:! o Both!parents!are!fit!for!custody;! o Personal!and!family!circumstances!make!it!possible;! o Both!parents!are!willing!to!assume!custody!(although!they!do!no!agree!to!share!it).!! • Attribution!of!sole!custody:! o Early!childhood;! o Domestic!violence,!ill-treatment!and!family!abandonment;! o Factual! circumstances! which! make! shared! custody! unworkable! (e.g.,! household! location).!! ! 4.&CHILD&CUSTODY&UNDER&THE&CCC:&& 233-10&Custody&exercise:!! “1.)Custody)is)held)in#the# manner#agreed#by#the#spouses)in)the)parenting)plan,)unless)it)is) harmful)for)the)children.)) 2.)In) the) absence) of) agreement) or) if)the) agreement)is) no) approved,)the) judge) determines) how) custody) will) be) held,) sticking) to) the) joint) nature) of) parental) responsibilities,) in) accordance) with) art.) 233-8.1) However,) the) judge) may) provide) that) custody) will) be) held) solely)by)one)of)the)parents)if)this)is)more)suitable)to)the)child’s)interest”.)) From!this!article,!one!can!consider!there!has!appeared!the!following!principle!from!the!Catalan! case-law:& if& according& to& the& particular& case,& the& judge& considers& that& if& joint& custody& is& as& good&as&sole&custody,&the&judge&will&prefer&the&joint&custody&than&the&sole&one.&! The!idea!is!that!if!circumstances!make!it!possible,!custody!will!be!joint.!à!Rule!coming!from! the!influence!of!the!European!principles.!! The!custody!is!not!automatic,!it!has!to!be!approved!by!the!judge.! ! 4.1&Sec.&233-11&CCC& –&Criteria&to&determinate&the&custody®ime&and&the&manner&to&exercise& custody:& Different!criteria,!not!listed!in!an!order.!They!are!equally!important,!and!all!of!them!have!to!be! taken!into!account!by!the!judge:!the!judge!needs!to!weigh!this!criteria:! 1. Affective& bonds! existing! between! the! children! and! each! parent,! and! relationships& with& other&persons! living!in!the!respective!household!(siblings,!grandparents…).!à! Reports! by! psychologists!a!part!from!the!opinion!of!the!child.!! 2. Suitability&of!the!parents!to!ensure!the!children’s!welfare.! 3. Cooperative&attitude!of!each!parent:!the!fact!that!parents!can!act!together,!in!relation!to! decision!that!affect!the!children.!! 4. Effective!time&of&commitment!to!the!care!of!children!before!the!family!breakdown!à!It! cannot! be! the! exclusive! criteria! (“tender! years! doctrine”! =! promotion! of! gender!

stereotypes).! The! judge! takes! into! account! WHO! took! more! care! of! the! children! before! the!breakdown.!It!can!be!considered!this!criteria!promotes!gender!stereotypes.!! a. Tender& years& doctrine:! specially! in! traditional! marriage,! for! biological! reasons,! in! tender!years,!the!mother!took!after!more!the!child!than!the!father.!! 5. The!views& expressed& by! mature! children!(sec.!211-6! CCC).! More!than!12!years!old!à! a! view!of!a!child!of!more!than!12!years!old!will!be!always!heard,!and!the!view!of!under-12! children! will! be! heard! if! the! Judge! considers! they! are! mature! enough! (9! /10! years! old,! never!4!or!5).!! 6. Agreements&in!anticipation!of!a!future!marital!breakdown!or!reached!before!initiation!of! the!separation!or!divorce!proceedings.! 7. Household!location,!daily&schedules!and!activities!of!the!children!and!the!parents.!! 8. Existence!or!well-founded!suspicions!of!family&violence! +!child!=!direct!or!indirect!victim.! à!If!there!are!evidences!!+!well-founded!suspicions!à!the!report!of!the!public!prosecutor! saying!that! there! are!evidences! on!family!violence!is!a! good!well-founded! suspicious,! or! medical!reports!as!well.!In!order!to!analyze!these!criteria,!we!need!another!requirement:! that!there!are!children!subjected!to!abuse!or!we!need!to!prove!that!the!child!has!seen!the! violence! to! one! parent! to! the! other! one.! Taking! into! account! this! criteria,! some! judges! considered!Joint!custody!was!not!possible:!! a. SCJ!Cat.!21!Jan.!2016!(child!was!at!the!family!home!when!the!assault!took!place).!!à!sole!custody.!! b. SCJ! Cat.! 12! Jan.! 2015! (one! only! act! of! family! violence! +! child! sleeping! in! another! room).! à! joint! custody!because!of!the!existence!of!the!only!one!act.!! c. SCJ!Cat.!1!Dec!2014!(extreme!conflictive!case!with!repeated!acts!of!violence)!from!the!father!to!the! mother).!à!joint!custody.! ARTICLE&233-11.&CRITERIA&FOR&DETERMINING&THE®ULATION&AND&EXERCISE&OF&CUSTODY:& 1.) To) determine) the) regulation) and) exercise) of) custody,) account) must) be) taken) of) the) proposed) parenting) plan) and,)in)particular,)of)the)following)weighted)criteria)and)circumstances:) a))The)emotional)bond)between)the)children)and)each)parent,)and)the)relations)with)the)other)persons)living) in)the)respective)homes.) b))The)ability)of)the)parents)to)ensure)the)welfare)of)the)children)and)the)possibility)to)give)them)a)suitable) environment,)according)to)their)age.) c)) The) attitude) of) each) parent) to) cooperate) with) each) other) to) ensure) maximum) stability) to) the) children,) particularly)to)adequately)ensure)the)relations)of)the)children)with)both)parents.) d))The)time)devoted)by)each)parent)to)the)care)of)the)children)before)the)breakdown)and)the)tasks)which) were)effectively)exercised)by)them)to)ensure)the)welfare)of)the)children.) e))The)opinion)expressed)by)the)children.) f))The)agreements)in)anticipation)of)the)breakdown)or)those)entered)into)outside)the)separation)agreement) before)commencing)the)proceedings.) g))The)location)of)the)homes)of)the)parents)and)the)schedules)and)activities)for)children)and)parents.) 2.)The)award)of)custody)cannot)separate)siblings,)unless)circumstances)so)require.) 3.)In)the)interest)of)the)children,)custody)can’t)be)awarded)to)the)parent)against)whom)a)final)judgment’s)been) pronounced) for) acts) of) domestic) or) sexist) violence) suffered) directly) or) indirectly,) actually) or) potentially,) by) the) children.) In) the) interest) of) the) children,) custody) can’t) also) be) awarded) to) the) parent) while) there) is) a) grounded) suspicion)that)such)parent)may)have)committed!acts!of!domestic!or!sexist!violence!suffered!directly!or!indirectly! by!the!children.!

The! SCJ! of! Catalonia! recognizes! the! legal& preference& for& shared& custody& because! it! is! more! beneficial!for!the!child’s!development.!à!Decisions!of!2!Oct.!2014!and!25!may!2015.!Despite,! joint&custody&is¬&an&automatic&actioma,&so&the&judge&has&to&look&at&every&particular&case.! • The! Court! must! always! look! at! the! particular& case:& although! preference! for! shared! custody!can! be!right! in!abstract!terms,!in!practice! it!always! must!be! consistent!with!the! child’s&best&interest.!à!decisions!of!9!Apr.,!14!May!and!25!May!2015.!! However,! the! former! criteria! just! mentioned! have! to! be! weighed! in! order! to! get! the! best! decision!to!benefit!the!best!interest!of!the!child.!! !

5.&CHILD&CUSTODY&UNDER&THE&SPANISH&CC&(SEC.&92):&& The&Judge&may&only&award&shared&custody:&& • If!both!parents!agree!to!it!(par.!5).! • Exceptionally,!at!the!request!of!only!one!parent,!provided!that!the!judge!can!justify!that! this!is!the!only!way!to!adequately!protect!the!child’s!best!interest!(par.!8).! • In!Catalonia,!contrarily,!even!if!both!parents!claim!sole!custody,!if!the!judge!considers!the! joint!custody!is!better!for!the!interest!of!the!children,!it!can!be!fixed.! Procedural&requirements:& • Previous!report!by!the!public!attorney,!which,!in!absence!of!parental!agreement,!needs!to! be!favorable!(par.!6!&!8)!à!rule!stuck!down!by!the!Constitutional!Court!(STC!185/2012).! • Hearing!of!children!(par.!6).! ! Art.&92! 1.# Separation,)annulment)and)divorce)shall)not)exonerate)parents)from)their)obligations)to)their)children.)2.# When) the) Judge) is) to) adopt) any) measure) relating) to) custody,) care) and) education) of) underage) children,) he) shall) ensure) compliance)with)their)right)to)be)heard.) 3.# The)judgment)shall)order)the)deprivation)of)parental)authority)when)grounds)for)this)should)be)revealed)in)the) proceedings.) 4.#The)parents)may)agree)in)the)settlement)agreement,)or)the)Judge)may)decide,)for)the)benefit)of)the)children,)that) parental)authority)be)exercised)in)whole)or)in)part)by)one)of)the)spouses.) 5.# Shared)care)and)custody)of)the)children)shall)be)decreed)where)the)parents)should)request)it)in)the)settlement) agreement)proposal)or)where)both) of)them)should) agree)on)this)during) the)proceedings.)The)Judge,)in) decreeing) joint) custody) and) after) duly) motivating) his) resolution,) shall) adopt) the) necessary) precautions) for) the) effective) compliance)of)the)agreed)custody)regime,)trying)not)to)separate)siblings.) 6.#In)any)event,)after)decreeing)the)care)and)custody)regime,)the)Judge)must)ask)the)opinion)of)the)Public)Prosecutor) and)hear)minors)who)have)sufficient)judgment,)where)this)is)deemed)necessary)ex)officio)or)at)the)request)of)the) Public) Prosecutor,) the) parties) or) members) of) the) Court) Technical) Team,) or) the) minor) himself,) and) evaluate) the) parties’) allegations) at) the) hearing) and) the) evidence) practiced) therein,) and) the) relationship) between) the) parents) themselves)and)with)their)children)to)determine)the)suitability)of)the)custody)regime.) 7.#No)joint)custody)shall)be)granted)when)either)parent)should)be)subject)to)criminal)proceedings)as)a)result)of)an) attempt) against) the) life,) physical) integrity,) freedom,) moral) integrity) or) sexual) liberty) and) integrity) of) the) other) spouse)or)the)children)who)live)with)both)of)them.)Neither)shall)it)apply)where)the)Judge)should)observe,)from)the) parties’) allegations) and) the) evidenced) practiced,) that) there) is) well-founded) circumstantial) evidence) of) domestic) violence.) 8.#Exceptionally,)even)in)the)absence)of)the)circumstances)provided)in)section)five)of)this)article,)the)Judge,)at)the) request)of)one)of)the)parties,)with)the)favorable)report) of)the)Public)Prosecutor,)may) decree)the)shared)care)and) custody)based)on)the)argument)that)only)thus)is)the)minor’s)higher)interest)suitably)protected.) 9.# The)Judge,)before)adopting)any)of)the)decisions)mentioned)in)the)preceding)paragraphs,)ex)officio)or)ex)parte,) may) ask) for) the) opinion) of) duly) qualified) specialists) relating) to) the) suitability) of) the) form) of) exercise) of) parental) authority)and)the)minors’)custody)regime.)

Despite!this,!the!reality!is!that!still:! • • • •

73,1%!of!the!custodies!are!given!solely!to!the!mother.! 21,2%!are!fixed!jointly!to!both!parents.! 5,3%!of!the!custodies!are!given!solely!to!the!father.! 0,4%!of!the!custodies!are!given!to!other!persons.!!

Spanish! Courts! are! granting! now! more! shared! custodies! and! since! 2013! there! is! a! Bill! on! shared! custody:! “anteproyecto) de) Ley) sobre) el) ejercicio) de) la) corresponsabilidad) parental) en) caso)de)nulidad,)separación)y)divorcio”.! ! 6.&PERSONAL&RELATIONSHIPS&WITH&CHILDREN:&CONTACT&RIGHTS:&& Sec.&236-4& CCC& –& Personal& relationships:! “The!children!and!the!parents,!even!if! the!latter!do! not!have!the!exercise!of!parental!powers,!have!the!right!to!relate!personally!to!one!another…”.! & &

Modalities:& • Stay:!weekends,!once!a!week…!! • Communication:!calls,!emails…!! • Visitation:! o Unsupervised;! o Supervised!(e.g,!meeting!points).!à!in!cases!of!gender!violence,!family!violence.!! Holders:& • The!child;! • The!parents;! • Other!personas:!grandparents,!siblings,!“significant!others”.!! ! 7.&ESTABLISHMENT&AND&DEVELOPMENT&OF&CONTACT&RIGHTS:&& Establishment&of&contact&rights:&& • By& agreement& (regulatory! agreement,! which! may! include! contact! rights! with! third! !parties,!as!provided!by!art.!233-12):!The!ideal!world!would!be!that!the!parties!agreed!!on! contact!rights!when!they!get!divorce.!& • By&judicial&decree:!In!many!cases,!there!is!no!agreement.!In!the!matrimonial!!proceedings,! the!judge!will!establish!the!rules.!& o In!matrimonial)proceedings.!& o In!child)proceedings)(art.!748.4,!769.3,!770!n.!6!Civil!Procedure!Act).& • When!in!the!matrimonial!proceeding!this!matter!is!not! decided,!it!can!be! done!in!child! proceedings! (e.g.:) grandparents) whose) contact) rights) have) not) been) included) in) matrimonial)proceedings)can)start)a)child)proceedings)claiming)for)them).!!& Modification,&suspension&and&refusal&of&contact&rights&(art.&236-5&CCC):& The!refusal!to!grant! contact!rights!is!an!infringement&of&parental&responsibilities.!!When!a!parent!refuses!to!grant! contact! rights! to! a! person! entitled! to! enjoy! them,! he/she! breaches! both! a! duty! that! he! has! deriving! from! the! regime! of! contact! which,! at! the! same! time,! is! included! in! parental! responsibilities,!and!the! right!of!the!child.!E.g.:)A)mother) who) won’t)let)her)children) speak) to) their)father.!In!some!cases,!parents!who!do!not!enjoy!contact!rights!stop!paying!compensatory! payments!in!order!to!achieve!revenge.!This!is!not!a!solution!–!what!this!parent!should!do!is!to! bring!a!claim!in!order!to!modify!the!contact!rights.!& • Prejudice&to&the&child’s&interest.!& • Other&“just&causes”&(sexual!abuse,!family!violence,!etc.).!!& Breach&of&contact&rights:&& • Breach&by&the&right&holder:!consequences.!& • Breach&by&the&custodial&parent:!consequences!(art.!776.3!Civil!Procedure!Act).!!& Criteria& for& granting& contact& rights:! The! content! of! article! 233-11! CCC! (section! 2)! not! only! applies!to!determine!the!regulation!of!custody!but!also!to!determine!its!exercise.!Hence,!it!will! be! taken! into! account! when! deciding! about! contact! rights.!The! last! criteria! (regarding! situations!of! family-violence)! is!worth! analyzing!in! this!specific! case.!The! right!of! the!child!to! see! their! parents! cannot! be! suppressed! based! on! suspicions! or! even! charges! for! family! violence,! as! long! as! danger! for! the! child! can! be! avoided! (visiting! in! public! places,! under! supervision...).! In! addition,! family! violence! claims! can! be! used! opportunistically! in! order! to! prevent! one! parent! of! seeing! his! child,! so! they! cannot! automatically! prevent! the! accused! parent!to!see!his!child.!The!judge!can!deny!the!right!of!contact!to!a!parent,!but!he!has!to!be! really!convinced! that! contact!will! be! dangerous! for!the! child! –! for! instance,! cases! where! the! man!has!been!charged!for!domestic!violence!against!the!child!itself.!& !...