JIANG YI WA
ABSTRACT: According to the law, both spouses have equal rights and duties within the marriage, meaning that they must act with respect, fidelity, cohabitation, cooperation and assistance, either spouse may request the dissolution of the marriage if the other culpably violates those duties. Although the Macao’s Family Law (Book IV of Civil Code of Macao) does not expressly provide for the right to divorce, the interpretation of this right can be done by combining articles n.ºs 25, 38 and 41 of Macao Basic Law, which enshrine the right to freedom for all citizens. The litigious divorce is regulated under articles n.ºs 1635 to 1648 of the Macao’s Civil Code, which establish its requirements, the fault of one of the spouses, or, the breakdown of common life, which means that, if one of the parties has not violated marital duties, and there is no disruption of common life due to crucial circumstances (e.g. “de facto” separation for 2 consecutive years), the other spouse cannot resort to the litigious divorce to dissolve the marriage, they can only divorce by mutual consent, which doesn’t exist often. This situation conflicts with the principles of a society governed by Law in which freedom is one of its basic principles. To attain a fairer system, there must be rules that balance both individual freedom and the objective of protecting the family institution.
Keywords: freedom to divorce; marriage break; disputed divorce; disputed divorce without guilt; Macau Civil Code; basic law of Macau.
TEXTO COMPLETO EM PDF
REFERÊNCIAS
Antunes Valera, Direito da Família, Vol. I, 5ª Edição, revista e actualizada, Livraria Petrony, Lda. Editores, 1999.
António Manuel Hespanha, Panorama da História Institucional e Jurídica de Macau, written by António Manuel Hespanha, translated by Chao Im Peng / Cheong Weng Chon, Macao Foundation.
Acórdão da Relação de Coimbra, de 17 de Outubro de 2006 (proc. N.º 2833-/04.0TBFIG.C1), acórdão do STJ, de 3 de Junho de 2004 (proc. N.º 04B1564), acórdão do STJ, de 5 de Julho de 2001 (proc. N.º 1858/01). Macao: Intermediate Court Judgment No. 158/2011.
Capelo de Sousa, Recentes Alterações em Direito Da Família, Direito Dos Menores e Direito Das Sucessões, Boletim da FDUC, Vol. Lxxxix, Tomo I, Coimbra, 2013.
Cristina Araújo Dias, Uma Análise do Novo Regime Jurídico do Divórcio, Almedina, 2009.
Colaço Amadeu, Novo Regime do Divórcio, Almedina, 2009.
David Popenop, Sociology China Renmin University Press, 1999; Zhan Wei, The Legal Philosophy Of Marriage and Family Harmony, in Hebei Law Science, 2009.
Da Wen, Marriage and Family Law, China Renmin University Press, 2001.
Diogo Leite de Campos, Lições de Direito da Família e das Sucessões, 2ª Edição, Almedina, 2005.
Edmund Burke, Freedom and Tradition, Chiang Ching, Wang Rui Chang, translated by Wang Tian Cheng, Laureate Press, 2004.
Eduardo dos Santos, Do Divórcio, Suas Causas, Processo e Efeitos, 2ª Edição, ELCLA, Almedina&Leitão, Lda., 1998.
Eva Dias Costa, Da Relevância da Culpa nos Efeitos Patrimoniais do Divórcio, Almedina, 2005.
Family Sociology (translated by Wei Zhang Ling), Laureate Press, 1988.
Freedom and Restriction of Divorce, China University of Political Science and Law Press, 2007.
Fidélia Proença de Carvalho, O Conceito de Culpa no Divórcio – Crime e Castigo, in Comemorações dos 35 anos do Código Civil e dos 25 anos da Reforma de 1977, Direito da Família e das Sucessões, Vol. I, Coimbra Editora, 2004.
Francisco Pereira Coelho, Divórcio e Separação Judicial de Pessoas e Bens Na Reforma do Código Civil, in Reforma do Código Civil, Ordem dos Advogados, Lisboa, 1981.
Friedrich August Von Hayek, principle of free order (volume 1), translated by Deng Zheng Lai, SDX Joint Publishing Company, 1997.
Henry Sumner Maine, Ancient Law, translated by Gao Min and Qu Hui Hong, Jiu Zhou Press, 2007.
Institutum Iurisprudentiae Academia Sinica; Liu De Xue, Reflections on Macao’s Legal Reform and Development Strategy under the Principle Of “One country, Two systems”, in Journal of Administration, No. 102, 2013.
Jiang Yue, Introduction to Marriage and Family Law, Science Press, 2007.
Jorge Duarte Pinheiro, Ideologias e Ilusões no Regime Jurídico do Divórcio e das Responsabilidades Parentais, in Estudos em Homenagem a Carlos Ferreira de Almeida, Almedina, 2011.
Jorge Duarte Pinheiro, O Núcleo Intangível da Comunhão Conjugal, Os Deveres Conjugais Sexuais, in Coleção Teses, Almedina, Coimbra, 2004.
Miguel Teixeira de Sousa, O Regime Jurídico do divórcio, Almedina, Coimbra, 1991.
Jorge Bacelar Gouveia, Direito Constitucional de Macau, Instituto do Direito de Língua Portuguesa, Lisboa, 2012.
John Rawls, Justice Theory, translated by Li Shao Jun, Du Li Yan, Zhang Hong, Laureate Press, 2003.
José Alexandrino, O Sistema de Direitos Fundamentais na Lei Básica da Região Administrativo, CEJJ, 2013.
Jorge Duarte Pinheiro, O Direito da Família Contemporâneo, Almedina, 2016.
Li Zhi Min (edition), Comparative Family Law, Peking University Press, 1988.
Li Hong Xiang, The Value Orientation of the Construction of the Family Law System in the Civil Code of Our Country Is Set Out, in The Social Science Front, n.12, 2012.
Li Hong Xiang, The Characteristics of the Rising Divorce Rate in China and Its Legal Countermeasures, in The Social Science Front, n.16, 2015.
Li Hong Xiang, Wang Chun Ying, The Problems and Countermeasures of Marriage Law — From The Perspective of The Perfection of Family Law System, in Contemporary Law Review, n.2, 2012.
Ma Yi Nan, Chinese Marriage and Family Law of the 20th Century, in Peking University Law Journal, No. 2, 1998.
Manuel Trigo, Lições de Direito da Família e das Sucessões, Vol. I, Faculty of Law of University of Macao, 2016.
Maria Clara Sottomayor e Maria Teresa Féria de Almeida, E Foram Felizes Para Sempre? Uma Análise Crítica do Novo Regime Jurídico do Divórcio, Coimbra Editora, 2010.
Xue Ning Lan, the legalization process of no-fault divorce in the United States, in Foreign Law Translation Review, No. 4, 1998.
O Novo Regime Jurídico em Avaliação, Editor-in-Chief of Boaventura de Sousa Santos, Centro de Estudos Sociais da Universidade de Coimbra, 2010.
Pereira Coelho; Guilherme de Oliveira, Curso de Direito da Família, I, 4ª Edição, Coimbra Editora, 2008.
Portuguese Civil code (Chinese version), translated by Tong Io Cheng etc., Peking University Press, 2009.
Principles of European Family Law Regarding Divorce and Maintenance between Former Spouse, Antuérpia/Oxford, Intersentia, 2004.
Rita Lobo Xavier, Recentes Alterações ao Regime Jurídico do Divórcio e das Responsabilidades Parentais, Almedina, 2009.
Tan Da Zheng, New Culture and Law, People’s Press, 1998.
Tao Yi, Ming Xin, Divorce: Single Breakdown or Mixed Doctrine, in Chinese Journal of Law, No. 6, 1999.
The American Modern Marriage and Family System, China University of Political Science and Law Press, 1999.
The Selection of Studies in Humanities and Social Sciences of Macau. History, (Editores-in-Chief.
The European Family Law Principles Concerning Divorce and Spouse Support after Divorce (promulgated by the European Family Law Commission, established on September 1, 2001) published in 2004.
Tong Io Cheng, The Way of Legal Development in Macao: Exploring The Legal Ideal Of One Country, Two Systems In the Puzzlement Of Post-Colonialism In Macao, in Collection Of Legal Development Seminars Of Four Places Across The Taiwan Straits In 2014.
The Perspective of the European Family Law Association, in Contemporary Law Review, No.4, 2008.
The Perspective of the European Family Law Association, in Contemporary Law Review, No.4, 2008.
The European Family Law Principles on Divorce and Spouse Support after Divorce can be found in the following links: http://ceflonline.net/wp-content/uploads/Principles-English.pdf and Katharina Boele-Woelki.
William Josiah Goode, The Change of Divorce Patterns around the World (translated by Chen Yi Jun), in Sociological Research, No. 3, 1993.
Wu Zhi Liang, Lin Fa Qin, He Zhi Hui), Social Sciences Academic Press (China), 2010.
Wei Shu Jun, From Legal Culture to Rule of Law Culture: Changes of Macao’s Legal Culture Before and After the Return, in Journal of China Executive Leadership Academy Pu Dong, Volume 11, No. 5, 2017.
Wu Yong, The Latest Development In The Process Of European Family Law Unification: From The Perspective Of The European Family Law Association, in Contemporary Law Review, No. 4, 2008.
Wu Hong, There Must be Limitations for Divorce, in Debate on the Amendment of Marriage Law (Editor-in-Chief of Li Yin He, Ma Yi Nan), Guang Ming Daily Press, 1999.
Xue Ning Lan, the Equity Mechanism in the Legislation of No-Fault Divorce, in China Law Network, https://www.iolaw.org.cn/showNews.aspx?Id=12553 (2019/7/10).
Xia Yin Lan, Research on Divorce Equity Mechanism, in Journal of China Women’s College, Volume 16, No. 5, 2004.
Xia Yin Lan, An Analysis of the Family Law of Macao’s Civil Code, in Perspectivas do Direito, No. 8, 2000.
Xia Yin Lan, Divorce Freedom and Restriction Theory, Peking University Press, 2007.
Xiao Xue Hui, Opposed Attaching Divorce Conditions to Emotional Breakdown; Chen Xin Xin, Opposed Restrictions on Divorce.
Xu An Qi, The Misunderstanding in the Amendment of Marriage Law – Restriction Of Divorce and Li Yin He, When Amending Marriage Law, Should Be Vigilant Against Retrogression, all in The Controversy On The Amendment Of Marriage Law (Editor-in-Chief of Li Yin He, Ma Yi Nan), Guang Ming Daily Press, 1999.
Zhang Xian Yu, The Evaluation and Enlightenment Of The Reform Of Contemporary Foreign Divorce Law, in China Legal Science, No. 3, 1991.