The current Family Code allows the assignment of property as family housing in favor of the spouse or common law partner and offspring (if they are over 18, as long as they are economically dependent on the owner). The law also allows the assignment of property in favor of adults who cannot meet their basic needs by their own means, as well as compliance with other requirements established in Article 43 of the same law.

With this protection, the property cannot be alienated (i.e., transfer of ownership by sale, gift or otherwise) or encumbered (e.g., mortgaged or seized), unless there is consent of both spouses or a court order. This order must be obtained through a judicial process called utility and necessity proceedings.

The assignment of property as family housing must be constituted through a public deed, so it is necessary the intervention of a qualified Notary Public (who can also deepen in the legal scope of this figure).

At CELIG we provide specialized services to the LGBTQI+ community. For more information or to make an appointment with us, please call us at  4001-6439 or send us an email to info@celigcr.com.

We are located in San Jose, Barrio Escalante.

M.Sc. Ana Isabel Sibaja Rojas

CELIG – Center for Equal Opportunity Litigation

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Article 30 of the same law states: «The marriage may be celebrated by means of a very special power of attorney that is recorded in a public deed and that expresses the name and general information of the person with whom the marriage is to be celebrated; but the other party must always be present at the celebration of the marriage in person.

There will be no marriage if at the time of the celebration the power of attorney was already legally revoked».

Although the Constitutional Chamber of Costa Rica has ruled that visa and/or permanent residence applications cannot be rejected under the argument that they are based on a marriage by special power of attorney (as currently allowed by law), this could change as of October 1, 2024. On that date the Family Procedural Code will enter into force, which expressly repeals the figure of marriage by special power of attorney.

CELIG provides specialized services to the LGBTQI+ community. For more information or to schedule an appointment with us, please call us at 4001-6439 or email us at info@celigcr.com.

We are located in San Jose, Barrio Escalante.

M.Sc. Ana Isabel Sibaja Rojas

CELIG – Center for Equal Opportunity Litigation

The post Marriage by special power of attorney appeared first on CELIG - Firma Legal para la comunidad LGBTIQ+.

El artículo 30 de esa misma ley indica: “El matrimonio podrá celebrarse por medio de apoderado con poder especialísimo constante en escritura pública y que exprese el nombre y generales de la persona con quien éste haya de celebrar el matrimonio; pero siempre ha de concurrir a la celebración en persona el otro contrayente.

No habrá matrimonio si en el momento de celebrarse estaba ya legalmente revocado el poder.”

Si bien la Sala Constitucional de Costa Rica ha resuelto que las solicitudes de visa y/o de residencia permanente no se pueden rechazar bajo el argumento que se basan en un matrimonio por poder especialísimo (como actualmente lo permite la ley), esto podría cambiar a partir del 1 de octubre de 2024. En esa fecha entrará en vigencia el Código Procesal de Familia, el cual deroga expresamente la figura del matrimonio por poder especialísimo.

En CELIG brindamos servicios especializados a la comunidad LGBTQI+. Si desea obtener más información o concertar una cita con nosotros, llámenos al teléfono  4001-6439 o escribirnos al correo electrónico info@celigcr.com.

Nos ubicamos en San José, Barrio Escalante.

M.Sc. Ana Isabel Sibaja Rojas

CELIG – Centro para el Litigio Igualitario

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In the case analyzed by the Court, three months before his death, one of the spouses had to move with one of his relatives due to a terminal illness. The surviving spouse, who worked long hours, could no longer take care of him. The couple considered hiring the services of a third person to take care of him, but the now deceased spouse’s wish was to move with his relatives in another part of the country. During the three months they lived apart, the couple provided mutual support and help to each other.

The above circumstances led the Court to conclude that, despite not living under the same roof during the last three months of the relationship, their cohabitation was not interrupted for the purposes of the Family Code.

At CELIG we provide specialized services to the LGBTQI+ community. If you would like more information or make an appointment with us, call us at 4800-0248 or write to us at info@celigcr.com.

We are located in San José,  Dent neighborhood.

M.Sc. Ana Isabel Sibaja Rojas

CELIG – Center for Equal Litigation

The post Separation due to terminal illness of one of the spouses in a common law marriage appeared first on CELIG - Firma Legal para la comunidad LGBTIQ+.

En el caso analizado por la Sala, tres meses antes de su fallecimiento, uno de los cónyuges debió trasladarse a vivir con uno de sus familiares a causa de una enfermedad terminal. La cónyuge sobreviviente, quien trabajaba largas jornadas, no podía hacerse cargo de él. La pareja valoró contratar los servicios de una tercera persona para hacerse cargo de él, pero el deseo del ahora cónyuge fallecido fue de trasladarse a vivir con sus familiares en otra parte del país. Durante los tres meses que estuvieron a distancia, la pareja se brindó apoyo y auxilio mutuos.

Las circunstancias anteriores llevaron a la Sala a concluir que, a pesar de no habitar bajo el mismo techo durante los últimos tres meses de relación, la unión de hecho no se vio interrumpida para los efectos del Código de Familia.

En CELIG brindamos servicios especializados a la comunidad LGBTQI+. Si desea obtener más información o concertar una cita con nosotros, llámenos al teléfono 4800-0248 o escribirnos al correo electrónico info@celigcr.com.

Nos ubicamos en San José, Dent.

M.Sc. Ana Isabel Sibaja Rojas

CELIG – Centro para el Litigio Igualitario

The post Separación por enfermedad terminal de uno los convivientes en unión de hecho appeared first on CELIG - Firma Legal para la comunidad LGBTIQ+.

Article 128, paragraph c) of the Family Code establishes that every adoption request must include, among others, “c) Certificate of marriage of the adopters or of the marital status of the adopter, if the adoption is individual.”

The Constitutional Court in its judgment 7521-2001 interpreted the scope of this provision. In response to an optional judicial consultation posed by a Family Court, the Constitutional Court interpreted that couples in common law marriages can comply with the requirement of article 128, paragraph c) by simply providing proof of the judicial recognition of their partnership. Indeed, the Civil Registry has registered adoptions with this documentation.

At CELIG we provide specialized services to the LGBTQI+ community. If you would like more information or make an appointment with us, call us at 4800-0248 or write to us at info@celigcr.com.

We are located in San José, Escalante neighborhood.

M.Sc. Ana Isabel Sibaja Rojas

CELIG – Center for Equal Litigation

The post Adoption by common-law marriages appeared first on CELIG - Firma Legal para la comunidad LGBTIQ+.

El artículo 128, inciso c) del Código de Familia establece que toda solicitud de adopción debe incluir, entre otros “c) Certificación de matrimonio de los adoptantes o del estado civil del adoptante, si la adopción es individual.”

La Sala Constitucional en su voto 7521-2001 interpretó el alcance de esta norma. Ante una consulta judicial facultativa planteada por un Juzgado de Familia, la Sala Constitucional interpretó que las parejas en unión de hecho pueden cumplir con el requisito del artículo 128, inciso c) con solo aportar el reconocimiento judicial de su unión de hecho. En efecto, el Registro Civil ha inscrito adopciones con esta documentación.

En CELIG brindamos servicios especializados a la comunidad LGBTQI+. Si desea obtener más información o concertar una cita con nosotros, llámenos al teléfono 4800-0248 o escribirnos al correo electrónico info@celigcr.com.

Nos ubicamos en San José, Barrio Escalante.

M.Sc. Ana Isabel Sibaja Rojas

CELIG – Centro para el Litigio Igualitario

The post Adopción por parte de parejas en unión de hecho appeared first on CELIG - Firma Legal para la comunidad LGBTIQ+.

Para contraer matrimonio en Costa Rica el Código de Familia exige que los contrayentes aporten dos testigos idóneos “que declaren bajo juramento, sobre la libertad de estado y aptitud legal de los contrayentes”. Naturalmente, estos testigos deben conocer muy bien a los contrayentes y los contrayentes tener igual conocimiento de sus testigos. Un asistente o colaborador del notario que oficia la ceremonia no podría ser testigo, a menos que tenga buen conocimiento de los contrayentes.

Cuando con conocimiento e intención los contrayentes usan testigos falsos y el Notario conoce esta circunstancia al celebrar el matrimonio, las personas involucradas en esta conducta podrían incurrir en al menos dos delitos penales.

El primero, es el delito de falsedad ideológica que ocurre cuando una persona inserta o hace insertar en un documento público o auténtico declaraciones falsas. Este delito es sancionado con una pena de entre uno a seis años de prisión.

El segundo, es el delito de uso de documento falso. Este sería el uso del documento resultante de la falsedad ideológica para lograr la inscripción del matrimonio. Este delito es sancionado con la misma penalidad que el anterior.

En CELIG brindamos servicios especializados a la comunidad LGBTQI+. Si desea obtener más información o concertar una cita con nosotros, llámenos al teléfono 4800-0248 o escribirnos al correo electrónico info@celigcr.com.

Nos ubicamos en San José, Barrio Escalante.

M.Sc. Ana Isabel Sibaja Rojas

CELIG – Centro para el Litigio Igualitario

The post Uso de testigos falsos en matrimonios appeared first on CELIG - Firma Legal para la comunidad LGBTIQ+.

To get married in Costa Rica, the Family Code requires that the couple provide two suitable witnesses who testify under oath that the spouses are not already legally married. Naturally, these witnesses must know the spouses very well and the spouses must have equal knowledge of their witnesses. An assistant or collaborator of the notary who officiates the ceremony could not, in principle, be a witness, unless he or she has good knowledge of the couple.

When the couple knowingly and intentionally uses false witnesses and the Notary is aware of this circumstance when officiating the ceremony, those involved in this conduct could incur at least two criminal offenses.

The first is the crime of ideological falsehood that occurs when a person inserts or makes someone insert false statements into a public or authentic document. This crime is punishable by 1-6 years in prison.

The second is the crime of use of a false document. This would be the use of the document resulting from ideological falsehood to achieve the registration of the marriage. This crime is punishable with the same penalty as the one referred to above.

At CELIG we provide specialized services to the LGBTQI+ community. If you would like more information or make an appointment with us, call us at 4800-0248 or write to us at info@celigcr.com.

We are located in San José, Escalante neighborhood.

M.Sc. Ana Isabel Sibaja Rojas

CELIG – Center for Equal Litigation

The post Use of false witnesses in marriages appeared first on CELIG - Firma Legal para la comunidad LGBTIQ+.

The report mentions that unfortunately there are still religions that exclude certain believers from practicing a religion because they are LGBTIQ+. To do this, they invoke religious tenets according to which the incorporation of LGBTQI+ people into that religious denomination is not allowed.

The SOGI Expert notes that this situation could be considered a violation of at least two human rights. The first, the right of people to live free from violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The second, of the right to freedom of religion and thought of the practitioners of a religion who consider that LGBTQI+ people have the right to live free of violence and that therefore have the right to live spirituality on equal terms with others. Indeed, the report shows that there are several religious denominations that are pro-LGBTQI+: the National Church of Iceland and the Episcopal Churches of the United States and Scotland. At CELIG we are also aware of similar religious denominations in Costa Rica.

At CELIG we provide specialized services to the LGBTQI+ community. If you want more information or make an appointment with us, call us at 4800-0248 or write to info@celigcr.com.

We are located in San José, Barrio Escalante.

M.Sc. Ana Isabel Sibaja Rojas

CELIG – Center for Equal Litigation

The post Right to freedom of religion and the right to live free from violence based on sexual orientation and gender identity appeared first on CELIG - Firma Legal para la comunidad LGBTIQ+.