Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Family Law in Spain: Contractualisation or Individualisation?

  • Chapter
Contractualisation of Family Law - Global Perspectives

Part of the book series: Ius Comparatum - Global Studies in Comparative Law ((GSCL,volume 4))

  • 919 Accesses

Abstract

Contractualisation is widely considered one of the major trends in current Western Family Law. Regarding Spanish Law, this statement is correct in many Family Law aspects regarding substantial Law. But there is also a complementary, sometimes contradictory trend, towards the individualisation of Family Law, as an outcome of the legal changes introduced in Spanish Family Law in 2005: same-sex marriage (13/2005 Act) and divorce on demand (15/2005 Act). After these reforms, the will of the individuals plays an important, even decisive role, both in vertical and horizontal Family relationships: for instance, in the establishment of legal filiation links, not only in the well known cases of recognition of paternity or maternity, but also in filiation coming from the use of reproductive technologies; or in the dissolution of marriage through the divorce on demand, in which the sole will of only one of the spouses is enough to end the marriage, transforming marriage itself, from the legal point of view, from more than a contract to less than any contract.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
eBook
USD 16.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Notes

  1. 1.

    De Pablo P (2011) Las normas jurídicas de Derecho Privado. Fuentes del Derecho y fuentes del Derecho Privado”. In De Pablo (coord.) Curso de Derecho civil I. Derecho Privado. Derecho de la Persona, 4th. edn. Colex Madrid, p. 75–127.

  2. 2.

    The Spanish legislator has so ruled through the 13/2005 Act, of 1 July.

  3. 3.

    Catalonia (the 10/1998 Act on Civil Unions), Aragón (the 6/1999 Act on Unmarried Couples), Navarra (the 6/2000 Act for the Legal Equality of Unmarried Couples), the Autonomous Community of Valencia (the 1/2001 Act on Civil Unions), the Baleares (the 18/2001 Act on Unmarried Couples), the Autonomous Community of Madrid (the 11/2001 Act on Civil Unions), Asturias (the 4/2002 Act on Unmarried Couples), Andalusia (the 5/2002 Act on Unmarried Couples), the Canary Islands (the 5/2003 Act on Unmarried Couples), Extremadura (the 5/2003 Act on Unmarried Couples), the Basque Country (the 2/2003 Act on Unmarried Couples), Cantabria (the 1/2005 Act on Unmarried Couples) and Galicia (in the problematic Third Additional Provision of the 2/2006 Act).

  4. 4.

    The English translation of the Spanish Constitution is available at the web site of the Congreso de los Diputados (http://www.congreso.es/constitucion/ficheros/c78/cons_ingl.pdf: last accessed 10.12.2013). Hereinafter, all English translations of the SC are quotations from this source.

  5. 5.

    There is a translation of the Spanish Civil Code into English in Spanish Civil Code (De Ramón-Laca Clausen S trans., Ministry of Justice [Madrid] ed., 2009), available at http://www.mjusticia.gob.es/cs/Satellite/es/1288774502225/TextoPublicaciones.html. Accessed 10 Dec 2013). Hereinafter, all English translations of the SCC are quotations from this source.

  6. 6.

    Ad rem see Martínez de Aguirre C (2011a), 419–420.

  7. 7.

    The Spanish Constitution stipulates that the law shall provide for investigation into paternity. This is what is usually known as libre investigación de la paternidad—free investigation into paternity or maternity—.This provision provides the constitutional foundation for the principle that the legal father of a child is the man who is his or her biological father, or and the legal mother of a child is his or her biological mother. The investigation envisaged by the Constitution is not an inquiry into legal parentage (for whose knowing there is no need to investigate anything: a consult the Civil Registry would be enough) but into biological facts. This conclusion is supported by the widespread use of biological tests for this purpose, as contemplated by the Civil Procedure Act (art. 767.2: “the examination of paternity and maternity through all kinds of tests, including biological tests, shall be admissible in kinship trials”).

    There is a translation of the Spanish Civil Procedure Act into English in Civil Procedure Act (Linguaserve trans., Ministry of Justice [Madrid] ed., 2012), available at http://www.mjusticia.gob.es/cs/Satellite/es/1288774502225/TextoPublicaciones.html (accessed 10 Dec 2013).

  8. 8.

    LTRHA allows the use of a gamete donated by either a man or a woman. In such case, the offspring is considered, from the legal point of view, the son or daughter of the man (or woman) that accepted the use of the gamete (arts. 7, 8), the donor being the biological parent but not the legal parent. In order to better understand the Spanish legal system concerning reproductive technologies, see Martínez de Aguirre C (2013b), pp. 344 et seq.

  9. 9.

    Patria potestad (parental authority) is regulated in articles 154 et seq. SCC. Concerning parental authority in Spanish law, see Lacruz Berdejo JL (2005), pp. 399 et seq.; Pérez Álvarez MA (2013), pp. 351 et seq.

  10. 10.

    “Parents must provide for their children, whether born within or outside wedlock, with assistance of every kind while they are still under age and in other circumstances in which the law so establishes”.

  11. 11.

    Filiation legal links that does not arise from biology can be considered “artificial” ones, i.e., created by Law: ad rem see Martínez de Aguirre C (2011b), pp. 317 et seq.

  12. 12.

    Ad rem see Martínez de Aguirre C (2013a), pp. 322 et seq.

  13. 13.

    The proposal of the public entity is not necessary in some cases (see art. 176.2 SCC), but even in these cases the declaration of suitability and the judicial resolution mentioned in text are needed.

  14. 14.

    Ad rem, in extenso, see Martínez de Aguirre C (2011b), pp. 328 et seq.

  15. 15.

    See Barber Cárcamo R (2013), p. 2907.

  16. 16.

    See Mayor del Hoyo MV (1999) p. 392 et seq.

  17. 17.

    Tamayo Haya S (2008) p. 179, and there further authorities.

  18. 18.

    As stated above (see footnote 3), there are 13 regional statutes relating civil unions too.

  19. 19.

    Martínez de Aguirre C (2007), p. 47; 2012, p. 57; De Pablo P (2013), p. 77. As for the 2005 marriage legal reforms, the 13/2005 Act (July 1st.) allows same-sex marriage, and trough 15/2005 Act (July 8th), unilateral unjustified divorce is enacted.

  20. 20.

    See, for instance, Novales Alquézar A (2006); Martin Casals M, Ribot Igualada J (2011).

  21. 21.

    See, Roca Trías E (2010), p. 73.

  22. 22.

    García Rubio MP (2003); Gaspar Lera S (2011), p. 1045.

  23. 23.

    Cabezuelo Arenas AL (2010).

  24. 24.

    Cabezuelo Arenas AL (2010).

  25. 25.

    Martínez de Aguirre C (2007).

References

  • Barber Cárcamo R (2013) La legalización administrativa de la gestación por sustitución en España (Crónica de una ilegalidad y remedios para combatirla). Revista Crítica de Derecho Inmobiliario 739: 2905–2950

    Google Scholar 

  • Cabezuelo Arenas AL (2010) Polémicas judiciales sobre significado, fijación, contenido y variabilidad de la Pensión de Alimentos de los hijos tras la separación y divorcio. Thomson-Aranzadi, Pamplona.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Pablo P (2011) Las normas jurídicas de Derecho Privado. Fuentes del Derecho y fuentes del Derecho Privado”. In De Pablo (coord.) Curso de Derecho civil I. Derecho Privado. Derecho de la Persona, 4th. edn. Colex Madrid, p. 75–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Pablo P (2013) El matrimonio y el Derecho civil. In Martínez de Aguirre C (coord.) Curso de Derecho Civil IV. Derecho de Familia, 4th. edn, Colex Madrid, p. 53–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • García Rubio MP (2003) Acuerdos prematrimoniales: de nuevo la libertad y sus límites en el Derecho de familia”. Available via http://civil.udg.edu/tossa/2004/textos/pon/2/mpgr.htm, Accessed 4 Dec 2013.

  • Gaspar Lera S (2011) Acuerdos prematrimoniales sobre relaciones personales entre cónyuges y su ruptura: límites a la autonomía de la voluntad. Anuario de Derecho Civil LXIV: 1041–1074

    Google Scholar 

  • Lacruz Berdejo JL et al. (2005) Elementos de Derecho Civil IV: Familia 2nd. edn. Dykinson, Madrid.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martin Casals M, Ribot Igualada J (2011) Daños en Derecho de familia: un paso adelante, dos atrás. Anuario de Derecho civil LXIV: 503–561

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez de Aguirre C (2007) El nuevo matrimonio civil. In Martínez de Aguirre C (dir.) Novedades legislativas en materia matrimonial, Consejo General del Poder Judicial, Madrid, p. 13–58.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez de Aguirre C (2011a) Contenido y eficacia del contrato. In Martínez de Aguirre C (coord.) Curso de Derecho civil II. Derecho de Obligaciones, 3rd. edn, Colex, Madrid, p. 415–443.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez de Aguirre C (2011b), The principle of verisimilitude of artificial filiation links: Biology as a model for the Law of parent and Child. International Journal of the Jurisprudence of the Family, 2: p. 315–333.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez de Aguirre C (2012) Is ‘living together, loving each other’ enough for Law? Reflections on some ‘brave new families’. International Journal of the Jurisprudence of the Family, 3: p. 37–60.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez de Aguirre C (2013a) La filiación. In Martínez de Aguirre (coord.), Curso de Derecho Civil IV. Derecho de Familia, 4th. edn. Colex, Madrid, p. 301–330.

    Google Scholar 

  • Martínez de Aguirre C (2013b) Acciones de filiación. Filiación derivada de técnicas de reproducción asistida. In Martínez de Aguirre (coord.), Curso de Derecho Civil IV. Derecho de Familia, 4th. edn. Colex, Madrid, p. 331–350.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mayor del Hoyo MV (1999) La guarda administrativa como mecanismo de proteccion de menores en el Código civil. Comares, Granada.

    Google Scholar 

  • Novales Alquézar A (2006) Hacia una teoría general de responsabilidad civil en el Derecho de Familia. El ámbito de las relaciones personales entre los cónyuges. Revista Jurídica del Notariado 60: 197–218.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pérez Álvarez MA (2013) La protección de los menores e incapacitados en general. La patria potestad. In Martínez de Aguirre (coord.), Curso de Derecho Civil IV. Derecho de Familia, 4th. edn. Colex, Madrid, p. 351–378.

    Google Scholar 

  • Roca Trías E (2010) Familia, formas familiares y economía. In Roca Trías E, Guilarte Gutiérrez V, Patrimonio matrimonial en matrimonios no indisolubles, Fundación Coloquio Jurídico Europeo, Madrid.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tamayo Haya S (2008) El estatuto jurídico de los padrastros. Editorial Reus, Madrid.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Private Law, University of Zaragoza, Pedro Cerbuna 12, E-50009, Zaragoza, Spain

    Carlos Martínez de Aguirre Aldaz

Authors
  1. Carlos Martínez de Aguirre Aldaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Carlos Martínez de Aguirre Aldaz .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Law, Research Group Personal Rights & Property Rights, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium

    Frederik Swennen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2015 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

de Aguirre Aldaz, C.M. (2015). Family Law in Spain: Contractualisation or Individualisation?. In: Swennen, F. (eds) Contractualisation of Family Law - Global Perspectives. Ius Comparatum - Global Studies in Comparative Law, vol 4. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-17229-3_14

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation