The concept and content of legal responsibility of spouses for failure to fulfill aliment obligations in family law

Abstract

In a scientific article, the author conducted a scientific study of the concept and content of legal liability of spouses for non-performance of alimony obligations in family law. Based on the study, the author concluded that the Family Code of Ukraine does not contain a rule on the liability of the obligated spouse for failure to maintain an incapacitated spouse or a spouse in need of maintenance in connection with the upbringing of young children. From the content of Art. 196 of the Family Code of Ukraine, it is not clear whether it applies only to cases of non-performance of child support obligations, as follows from the finding of this rule in the relevant section of the Family Code of Ukraine. It is necessary to agree with the opinion expressed in the legal doctrine on the application of the provisions of Art. 196 of the Family Code of Ukraine for all alimony relations, in this regard, we propose to make appropriate changes to this article. In this case, in case of arrears due to the fault of the spouse, who is obliged to pay alimony by court decision or under the maintenance agreement, the spouse-recipient of alimony has the right to collect a penalty (penalty), and in case of late payment, due to illness or injury of the other spouse due to the payer’s fault, such payer is obliged to pay the amount of arrears at the request of the recipient of expenses, taking into account the established inflation index for the entire period of delay, as well as three percent per annum of the overdue amount. Although Art. 78 of the Family Code of Ukraine defines only three conditions of the spousal maintenance agreement: conditions, amount and terms of alimony, however, as stated in legal doctrine, such a condition as liability for non-performance of the maintenance agreement may also be determined by the parties. Unfortunately, the Family Code of Ukraine does not provide for a contractual procedure for determining alimony obligations to actual and former spouses, in this regard, in the scientific literature it is proposed to supplement the relevant provisions of Art. Art. 78 and 91 of the Family Code of Ukraine. In addition, the legislation of Ukraine in some cases provides for administrative liability for non-payment of alimony for the maintenance of one of the spouses, as well as liability in the form of one of the temporary restrictions set by the Law of Ukraine “On Enforcement Proceedings”.