Family
The received Spanish Civil Code, with customary marriage recognised
Family law rests on the Spanish Civil Code as received, supplemented by recognition of customary marriage. Customary practice, including bride price and polygamy, operates alongside the civil regime.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Ordinary courts hear family matters; the Registro Civil records status.
- Deadline — Birth registration: at the Registro Civil within the statutory period
- Deadline — Marriage: celebrated civilly or religiously with registration
Governing law
- Código CivilSpanish code as received
- Legislation on civil registration
- Customary law as recognised by the courts
In practice
The coexistence of the Spanish Civil Code with recognised customary marriage produces the same dual-track problem as in francophone neighbours, but with Spanish rather than French doctrinal sources — so comparative reasoning runs to Spanish and Latin American authority rather than to French.