Family Law Teaching Material

273 Pages·2012·1.05 MB·English

Law of Family

Teaching Material

Prepared by:

Aschalew Ashagrie
&
Martha Belete

Prepared under the Sponsorship of the Justice and Legal System
Research Institute

2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
General Course Introduction………………………………………………………………………1
Chapter One: General Consideration
1.1 Introduction to Family Law…………………………………………………………………...3
1.2 Definition and Sources of family law…………………………………………………………4
1.3 Rationale Behind Protection and regulation of the family…………………………………….5
1.4 Sources of family relationships………………………………………………………………..8
1.4.1 Relationship by consanguinity………………………………………………………8
1.4.2 Relationship by Affinity…………………………………………………………...11
1.4.3 Relationship by Adoption………………………………………………………….12
1.5 Effect of Family Relationship………………………………………………………………..12
Chapter Two: Marriage
2.1 Betrothal……………………………………………………………………………………15
2.2 Definition of Marriage………………………………………………………………………16
2.3 Modes of Conclusion of Marriage…………………………………………………………..18
2.3.1 Civil Marriage……………………………………………………………………...18
2.3.2 Religious Marriage…………………………………………………………………24
2.3.3 Customary marriage………………………………………………………………..24
2.3.4 Marriage celebrated abroad………………………………………………………..26
2.4 Essential Conditions of Marriage…………………………………………………………….27
2.4.1 Consent…………………………………………………………………………….28
2.4.2 Age…………………………………………………………………………………31
2.4.3 Absence of other Impediments to Marriage………………………………………..33
2.5 Opposition to Marriage………………………………………………………………………37
2.6 Effects of Violation of Essential Conditions of Marriage…………………………………...41
Chapter Three: Effects of Marriage
3.1 General Overview……………………………………………………………………………50
3.2 Personal Effects of Marriage………………………………………………………………...55
3.2.1 Respect, support and assistance……………………………………………………55
3.2.2 Family Management………………………………………………………………55
3.2.3 Cohabitation………………………………………………………………………56
3.2.4 Duty of Fidelity…………………………………………………………………….58
3.3 Pecuniary Effects…………………………………………………………………………….58
3.3.1 Personal Property of Spouses………………………………………………………60
3.3.2 Common Property of Spouses……………………………………………………..61
3.3.3 Management of Personal and Common property of Spouses……………………...66
3.3.4 Debts of Spouses…………………………………………………………………..69
Chapter Four: Proof of Marriage
4.1 Registration of Marriage……………………………………………………………………72
4.2 Proof of Marriage by Certificate of Marriage………………………………………………73
4.3 Proof of Marriage by Possession of Status …………………………………………………74
CHAPTER FIVE
Dissolution of Marriage
5.1 Grounds of Dissolution………………………………………………………………………79
5.1.1 Dissolution by operation of the law………………………………………………..80
5.1.2 Divorce……………………………………………………………………………..81
5.1.2.1 Divorce by Mutual Consent……………………………………………...87
5.1.2.2 Divorce by Petition………………………………………………………88
5.2 Effects of Dissolution of Marriage ………………………………………………………….96
5.2.1 Child Custody……………………………………………………………………..96
5.2.2 Liquidation of Pecuniary Relations………………………………………………105
5.2.3 Partition of Matrimonial Property……………………………………………….106

CHAPTER SIX
IRREGULAR UNION
6.1. Introduction ………………………………………………………………………..108
6.2. Objectives ………………….………………………………………………………...108
6.3. The Concept of Irregular Union ……………………………………………………..109
6.4. Why Do People Live in An Irregular Union? ………………………………………..112
6.5. The Need to Protect Irregular Union ………………………………………………...116
6.6. Legal Effects of Irregular Union ……………………………………………………..121
6.7. Proof of Irregular Union ………….………………………………………………….132
6.8. Termination of the Union …………………………………………………………….143
CHAPTER SEVEN
FILIATION
7.1. Introduction
…………………………………………………………………………151
7.2. Objectives ……………………………………………………………………………151
7.3. Maternal Filiation …………………………………………………………………….152
7.4. Paternal Filiation ……………………………………………………………………..157
7.4.1. Presumption of Paternity ……………………………………………………….158
7.4.2. Acknowledgment of Paternity …………………………………………………166
7.4.3. Judicial Declaration ……………………………………………………………174
7.4.4. Regulation of Conflict of Paternity …………………………………………….178
7.4.5. Disowning ……………………………………………………………………..183
7.5. Proof of Filiation …………………………………………………………………...190
7.5.1. General …………………………………………………………………………190
7.5.2. Proof by Record to Birth ……………………………………………………….191

CHAPTER EIGHT
ADOPTION
8.1. Introduction ……………………………………………………….………………..203
8.2. Objectives ………………………………………………………………………….203
8.3. Adoptions Defined …………………………………………………………………203
8.4. Essential Conditions and Effects of Adoption ……………………………………..204
8.4.1. Essential Conditions …………………………………………….……………...205
8.4.2. Effects of Adoption ……………………………………………….……………208
8.5. Inter-country Adoption and Safeguards of children …………….............................210
8.5.1. Inter-country Adoption in General ……………………………………………..210
8.5.2. Placement of the Child …………………………………………….…………...212
8.5.3. Selection of Adoptive Parents …………………………………….……………213
8.6. Safeguards for Children in Inter Country Adoption ……………………………….214
8.6.1. Follow –Up…………………………………….……………………………….214
8.6.2. The Child’s Right to Identity and Secrecy ……………………………………..214
8.6.3. Prevention of Unlawful acts in Inter-Country Adoption………. ……………...217
8.7. Revocation of Adoption ……………………………….……………………………218

CHAPTER NINE
OBLIGATIONS OF SUPPLY MAINTENANCE
9.1. Introduction…………………………………………………………………………222
9.2. Objectives ………………………………………………………………………….222
9.3. Rationale Behind the Obligation …………………….……………………………..223
9.4. Subject Matter of the Obligation ………….………………………………………..223
9.5. Persons between whom the Obligation Exists ……………………………………..224
9.6. Termination of the Obligations …………………………………………………….227

CHAPTER TEN
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES

10.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………..232
10.2 Objectives ……………………………………………………………………….....232
10.3 Settlement of Disputes Arising out of Marriage and Irregular Union …………….233
10.3.1 Preliminaries
…………………………………………………………………...233
10.3.2 Settlement of Disputes by Court
……………………………….........................233
10.3.3 Settlement by Arbitration
………………………………....................................238
10.4 Settlement of other Family Disputes ………………….............................................243
10.4.1 Preliminary
………………..................................................................................243
10.4.2 Child
Custody......................................................................................................244
10.4.3 Maintenance Allowance
………………………………………………………..247
10.4.4 Visitation Right
………………………………………………………………...250
Law of Family

Teaching Material

Prepared by:

Aschalew Ashagrie
&
Martha Belete

Prepared under the Sponsorship of the Justice and Legal System
Research Institute

2009
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
General Course Introduction………………………………………………………………………1
Chapter One: General Consideration
1.1 Introduction to Family Law…………………………………………………………………...3
1.2 Definition and Sources of family law…………………………………………………………4
1.3 Rationale Behind Protection and regulation of the family…………………………………….5
1.4 Sources of family relationships………………………………………………………………..8
1.4.1 Relationship by consanguinity………………………………………………………8
1.4.2 Relationship by Affinity…………………………………………………………...11
1.4.3 Relationship by Adoption………………………………………………………….12
1.5 Effect of Family Relationship………………………………………………………………..12
Chapter Two: Marriage
2.1 Betrothal……………………………………………………………………………………15
2.2 Definition of Marriage………………………………………………………………………16
2.3 Modes of Conclusion of Marriage…………………………………………………………..18
2.3.1 Civil Marriage……………………………………………………………………...18
2.3.2 Religious Marriage…………………………………………………………………24
2.3.3 Customary marriage………………………………………………………………..24
2.3.4 Marriage celebrated abroad………………………………………………………..26
2.4 Essential Conditions of Marriage…………………………………………………………….27
2.4.1 Consent…………………………………………………………………………….28
2.4.2 Age…………………………………………………………………………………31
2.4.3 Absence of other Impediments to Marriage………………………………………..33
2.5 Opposition to Marriage………………………………………………………………………37
2.6 Effects of Violation of Essential Conditions of Marriage…………………………………...41
Chapter Three: Effects of Marriage
3.1 General Overview……………………………………………………………………………50
3.2 Personal Effects of Marriage………………………………………………………………...55
3.2.1 Respect, support and assistance……………………………………………………55
3.2.2 Family Management………………………………………………………………55
3.2.3 Cohabitation………………………………………………………………………56
3.2.4 Duty of Fidelity…………………………………………………………………….58
3.3 Pecuniary Effects…………………………………………………………………………….58
3.3.1 Personal Property of Spouses………………………………………………………60
3.3.2 Common Property of Spouses……………………………………………………..61
3.3.3 Management of Personal and Common property of Spouses……………………...66
3.3.4 Debts of Spouses…………………………………………………………………..69
Chapter Four: Proof of Marriage
4.1 Registration of Marriage……………………………………………………………………72
4.2 Proof of Marriage by Certificate of Marriage………………………………………………73
4.3 Proof of Marriage by Possession of Status …………………………………………………74