Family
Código Civil marriage with constitutionally recognised de facto unions
Marriage and divorce are governed by the Código Civil. Article 77 of the Constitution recognises stable de facto unions between a man and a woman as producing the same effects as marriage. Same-sex marriage is not available. Children's matters are governed by the LOPNNA, which established specialised protection courts and councils.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — National substantive law applied by civil and protection courts
- Deadline — Divorce by mutual consent available after the statutory separation period
- Deadline — Protection measures for children issued urgently by LOPNNA courts
Governing law
- Código Civil de Venezuela
- Constitución (art. 77)
- Ley Orgánica para la Protección de Niños, Niñas y AdolescentesLOPNNA
In practice
The Sala Constitucional expanded divorce access considerably in decisions from 2014 and 2015, holding that the statutory list of grounds was not exhaustive and that irretrievable breakdown asserted by one spouse could suffice, effectively creating a judicial no-fault route without legislative amendment. The LOPNNA system, with its councils of protection alongside courts, is a notable child-protection architecture in the region.