Peru Codigo Civil + Codigo de los Ninos y Adolescentes¶
TL;DR¶
Peru's family-law framework combines the Codigo Civil (1984) governing parental authority (patria potestad) and the Codigo de los Ninos y Adolescentes (Ley 27337 of 2000) providing child-protection-specific provisions. The 2018 amendments to the CNA strengthened parental-cooperation duties and codified the child's right to maintain personal relations with both parents. Article 88 CNA addresses visitation (regimen de visitas); Article 84 CNA outlines parental authority equally between father and mother regardless of marital status; jurisprudence has explicitly recognized SAP/alienation behaviors as a relevant factor since CSJR Cas. 4664-2010.
Statutory Framework¶
Codigo Civil Art. 419 — Patria Potestad¶
Parental authority belongs jointly to both parents and is exercised during marriage. After separation, the court determines exercise and custody.
Codigo Civil Art. 421-423 — Custody After Separation¶
Court determines custody (tenencia) considering best interests; the parent without tenencia retains regimen de visitas. The 2018 amendments strengthened tenencia compartida (shared custody) as a viable option.
Codigo de los Ninos y Adolescentes Art. 8 — Right to Family¶
Children have a right to live and develop within a family that ensures their integral development. Both parents retain rights and duties regardless of marital status.
CNA Art. 74 — Joint Parental Authority¶
Both parents jointly exercise patria potestad. Decisions affecting the child's life require both parents' participation.
CNA Art. 84 — Tenencia (Custody)¶
Where parents cannot agree, the judge determines tenencia considering: - The child's age (children under 3 generally remain with mother absent contraindication) - Each parent's circumstances - Each parent's willingness to facilitate the child's relationship with the other parent - The child's expressed wishes (age-appropriate)
CNA Art. 88 — Regimen de Visitas (Visitation)¶
The parent without tenencia has a right to maintain visitation with the child. The judge regulates regimen de visitas considering best-interests factors. The 2018 amendment explicitly framed visitation as the child's right, not just the parent's.
CNA Art. 91 — Modification¶
Custody and visitation may be modified where circumstances change or modification serves best interests.
Corte Suprema Jurisprudence¶
CSJR Cas. 4664-2010 (Sala Civil)¶
Corte Suprema confirmed that "Sindrome de Alienacion Parental" is a recognized phenomenon under Peruvian family-law jurisprudence and constitutes grounds for tenencia modification. Court must independently assess whether the child's expressed contact refusal reflects induced influence.
Tribunal Constitucional Exp. 01817-2009-PHC/TC¶
Constitutional Court held that the State has a positive obligation under Peruvian Constitution Art. 4 to protect family life. Persistent failure to enforce visitation orders may violate constitutional rights. Peruvian parallel to ECHR Art. 8 positive-obligation doctrine.
CSJR Cas. 234-2018¶
Applied post-2018 reform framework recognizing tenencia compartida as a viable arrangement; alienation behaviors by the tenedor parent are grounds for modification.
Doctrinal Evolution¶
Peruvian jurisprudence has shifted from Gardner-era SAP framing to modern behavioral-criteria framing, parallel to Argentina and Chile. Specialized Juzgados de Familia handle most custody disputes.
Practical Application¶
Motion Language (Spanish)¶
"La parte demandada ha obstaculizado sistematicamente el regimen de visitas en violacion de los articulos 74, 84 y 88 del Codigo de los Ninos y Adolescentes. Se solicita la modificacion de la tenencia conforme al art. 91 CNA y, alternativamente, la fijacion de tenencia compartida."
Cross-Border¶
- Hague 1980 central authority: Ministerio de la Mujer y Poblaciones Vulnerables (MIMP)
- MERCOSUR + Andean Community framework
- Strong cross-border practice with Bolivia, Ecuador, Chile, Brazil, USA, Italy
- Peruvian diaspora cases concentrated in USA, Chile, Argentina, Spain, Italy, Japan
Inter-American Human Rights Context¶
Peru is party to the American Convention on Human Rights and bound by Inter-American Court of Human Rights jurisprudence. Peru has been subject to several Inter-American rulings on children's rights.
Citing Posts¶
| Post | URL |
|---|---|
| Latin American + Hispanophone PA | https://antialienate.com/blog/hispanophone-parental-alienation |
| International Custody Battles | https://antialienate.com/blog/international-custody-battles-your-rights |
| Article 8 ECHR Stack (analogy) | https://antialienate.com/blog/article-8-echr-parental-alienation |
Sources¶
- Codigo Civil de Peru: https://spij.minjus.gob.pe/spij-ext-web/detallenorma/H758144
- Codigo de los Ninos y Adolescentes: https://spij.minjus.gob.pe/spij-ext-web/detallenorma/H812301
- Corte Suprema: https://www.pj.gob.pe/wps/wcm/connect/cortesuprema/s_csj_en
- Tribunal Constitucional: https://www.tc.gob.pe/
By Alan Markson. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Disclaimer: Educational summary, not legal advice. Consult a qualified Peruvian family-law attorney.