Código Civil CDMX art. 323 Septimus — Alienación parental (verbatim, reforma 2014)¶

Jurisdiction: Mexico — Ciudad de México (CDMX) · Citation: Código Civil para el Distrito Federal art. 323 Septimus (reforma DOF 2014-05-09) · Authoritative source: consejeria.cdmx.gob.mx — Código Civil

The express PA-statute of Ciudad de México (Mexico City). Código Civil CDMX art. 323 Septimus expressly codifies alienación parental (parental alienation) and establishes the remedies applicable when alienation patterns are established. The provision is part of the CDMX Reforma sobre Alienación Parental (2014 Parental Alienation Reform) inspired by Brazil's Lei 12.318/2010 and applied across multiple Mexican state codes including Estado de México, Nuevo León, Aguascalientes, Coahuila, Veracruz, and Sonora.

The provision is the Mexican structural parallel to: - Brazil Lei 12.318/2010 (Lei da Alienação Parental) - Argentina Codigo Civil y Comercial arts. 638-655 (PA recognition) - Colombia Codigo Civil + Ley 1098/2006

CDMX is doctrinally distinctive among Mexican states because the 2014 reform was the first to expressly codify PA at state level and provides the operational template subsequently adopted by other Mexican states. The Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación (SCJN) has developed PA-related jurisprudence through ECHR Article 8 + CRC reception in Amparo Directo en Revisión 2293/2013 and following authorities.

Verbatim text (current consolidated, post-2014 reforma)¶

Art. 323 Septimus — Alienación parental¶

Comete violencia familiar el integrante de la familia que transforma la conciencia de un menor con el objeto de impedir, obstaculizar o destruir sus vínculos con uno de sus progenitores.

La conducta descrita en el párrafo anterior, realizada por uno de los padres (denominado progenitor alienador) que cause en un menor de edad (denominado hijo alienado), un trastorno mental a través de campañas de denigración del otro progenitor (denominado progenitor alienado), será sancionada en términos de lo dispuesto por este Código y por las leyes aplicables.

En caso de que se acredite la alienación parental leve o moderada, la guarda y custodia del menor le será otorgada al progenitor alienado, en caso de que esta no la tuviese. Se suspenderá todo régimen de visitas y convivencias del progenitor alienador y se ordenará tratamiento psicológico al menor y a sus progenitores.

Quien ejerza la alienación parental en forma severa perderá la guarda y custodia del menor; en cuyo caso, se le impedirá cualquier contacto con éste y, en su caso, podrá perder la patria potestad. Se ordenará tratamiento psicológico al menor y a sus progenitores.

En todos los casos, los padres del menor y el menor mismo, recibirán terapia familiar a través del Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia del Distrito Federal, o mediante el especialista en la materia que el juez determine.

English working translation¶

Art. 323 Septimus — Parental alienation¶

Family violence (violencia familiar) is committed by the family member who transforms the consciousness of a minor with the object of preventing, hindering, or destroying the minor's bonds with one of his/her parents.

The conduct described in the preceding paragraph, performed by one of the parents (called the alienating parent — progenitor alienador), causing the minor child (called the alienated child — hijo alienado) a mental disorder (trastorno mental) through campaigns of denigration of the other parent (called the alienated parent — progenitor alienado), shall be sanctioned under this Code and applicable laws.

Where mild or moderate parental alienation is established, the guarda y custodia (care and custody) of the minor shall be granted to the alienated parent, where the alienated parent does not have it. All visitation and association regime of the alienating parent shall be suspended and psychological treatment shall be ordered for the minor and his/her parents.

Where severe parental alienation is exercised, the alienating parent shall lose guarda y custodia of the minor; in such case, any contact with the minor shall be prevented and, where applicable, the alienating parent may lose patria potestad (parental authority). Psychological treatment shall be ordered for the minor and his/her parents.

In all cases, the parents and the minor shall receive family therapy through the Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia del Distrito Federal (DIF — Integrated Family Development System), or through the specialist in the matter that the judge determines.

Why this matters for PA¶

Express PA codification + violencia familiar framing (first paragraph). Comete violencia familiar el integrante de la familia que transforma la conciencia de un menor con el objeto de impedir, obstaculizar o destruir sus vínculos con uno de sus progenitores. Family violence is committed by the family member who transforms the consciousness of a minor to prevent, hinder, or destroy bonds with a parent. This is doctrinally distinctive — Mexico is one of the few jurisdictions that expressly classifies alienating conduct as violencia familiar (family violence), engaging the broader DV-protective legal framework alongside family-law remedies.
The three-element definition (second paragraph). The codified definition has three structural elements:
Conducta del progenitor alienador — alienating parent's conduct (the perpetrator)
Trastorno mental en el menor — mental disorder in the child (the harm)
Campañas de denigración del progenitor alienado — denigration campaigns against the alienated parent (the mechanism)
This is the structural Mexican alienation-pattern test. The trastorno mental (mental disorder) element is doctrinally significant — it requires evidenced psychological harm, not merely alienating-conduct allegations.
The graduated-severity remedy ladder. Art. 323 Septimus codifies a graduated-severity ladder:
Alienación leve o moderada (mild or moderate) → guarda y custodia transferred to alienated parent + suspended alienating-parent visitation + psychological treatment
Alienación severa (severe) → guarda y custodia lost + all contact prevented + may lose patria potestad + psychological treatment
This is doctrinally distinctive — the statute itself enumerates the remedies, providing structural certainty for both judges and parties. The escalation from suspension (mild/moderate) to prevention of all contact (severe) is operationally explicit.
The transfer-of-custody remedy. La guarda y custodia del menor le será otorgada al progenitor alienado, en caso de que esta no la tuviese. The custody shall be granted to the alienated parent where they don't have it. The shall be granted (será otorgada) is mandatory framing — the court has limited discretion to deny the transfer where mild/moderate PA is established and the alienated parent is otherwise capable.
The mandatory therapy provision (final paragraph). En todos los casos, los padres del menor y el menor mismo, recibirán terapia familiar. In all cases, both parents and the minor shall receive family therapy. The mandatory-therapy provision is doctrinally distinctive — it codifies a therapeutic-intervention requirement even where remedies have been imposed. This is the structural Mexican parallel to UK FCDO-line therapeutic-intervention orders.
The DIF integration. The statute designates the Sistema para el Desarrollo Integral de la Familia del Distrito Federal (DIF-CDMX) as the structural provider of mandated therapy. DIF is the public-sector family-services agency — providing free or low-cost access to therapy. This is doctrinally important because it ensures the therapy provision is operationally accessible regardless of the parents' financial means.
The patria potestad loss for severe cases. Podrá perder la patria potestad. The alienating parent may lose patria potestad in severe cases. This is the apex-tier remedy — equivalent to:
Brazilian Lei 12.318/2010 art. 6 inciso VII (severe sanction — declaração de suspensão da autoridade parental)
German BGB § 1666 + § 1671 apex remedies
Austrian ABGB § 181 Entzug der Obsorge
The Mexican framework is doctrinally distinctive because the loss of patria potestad is triggered by the alienating conduct itself (severe PA), not by a separate Kindeswohlgefährdung finding.

Procedural application¶

The competent court is the Juzgado Familiar (Family Court) in CDMX under Ley Orgánica del Poder Judicial de la CDMX
The Procuraduría General de Justicia and Procuraduría de Protección de Derechos de Niñas, Niños y Adolescentes (PROCDMX) provide welfare oversight
The Centro de Convivencia Familiar Supervisada (CECOFAM) provides supervised contact during proceedings
Peritaje psicológico (psychological expert assessment) is the typical evidential vehicle for establishing PA severity
The child is heard under art. 71 LGDNNA — capacity-based standard
Appellate review to the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de la CDMX + Suprema Corte de Justicia de la Nación via Amparo

Use in alienating-conduct cases¶

The SCJN has confirmed the constitutional validity of PA-statutes in Amparo Directo en Revisión 2293/2013 — the broader PA framework is constitutionally compatible with the interés superior del menor principle
The Tribunal Superior de Justicia de la CDMX has applied art. 323 Septimus in PA-pattern cases including Toca civil 1024/2017 and following authorities
The graduated-severity ladder operates as expected:
First-tier intervention via DIF therapy + supervised contact at CECOFAM
Second-tier: guarda y custodia transfer for mild/moderate cases
Apex-tier: patria potestad loss for severe cases
The peritaje psicológico practice has developed structured protocols for PA-severity classification — typically engaging clinical psychology specialists trained in family-systems assessment

Reception across Mexican states¶

The CDMX 2014 reform has been adopted by: - Estado de México — Código Civil del Estado de México art. 4.205 + 4.205 Bis - Nuevo León — Código Civil para el Estado de Nuevo León art. 323 Bis - Aguascalientes — Código Civil del Estado de Aguascalientes art. 434 Bis - Coahuila — Código Civil para el Estado de Coahuila de Zaragoza art. 583 - Veracruz — Código Civil para el Estado de Veracruz art. 343 Bis - Sonora — Código de Familia para el Estado de Sonora art. 251 Bis

Each adopting state code mirrors the CDMX structure with minor variations on procedural specifics.

Cross-reference¶

Sources & authoritative references¶

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