pereõigust

Pereõigust, or family law, is a branch of law that governs relationships within the family and a person’s status within it. It encompasses the legal rules that define and regulate the formation, modification, and termination of family ties, as well as the rights and duties that arise from them. The field addresses issues such as marriage, registered partnerships, and the dissolution of these unions, as well as parent-child relationships, guardianship and wardship, and adoption.

Key areas include marriage and partnerships, divorce and separation, parental rights and responsibilities, child custody and access arrangements, child support and maintenance, and the recognition and regulation of guardianship. It also covers property relations between spouses or partners, such as matrimonial property regimes and the division of assets upon dissolution. In many systems, the law also provides for guardianship of minors and adults who cannot manage their own affairs, as well as the protection of vulnerable family members.

Pereõigust combines substantive rules with procedural mechanisms. It governs how related disputes are resolved, including court proceedings, mediation, and, where appropriate, administrative procedures and registries for civil status. Enforcement of orders and the role of social services and state authorities in child protection are also part of the field.

International and cross-border aspects exist within pereõigust, including recognition of foreign marriages and divorces, child custody across borders, and compliance with international conventions on child welfare and family mediation.