Civil Partnership and Cohabitation Lawyer in Torrevieja
Not being married does not mean you have no rights. Or that there is nothing to protect.
If your relationship is coming to an end, or you want to clarify what each party is entitled to before a problem arises, I can help you put things in order with proper legal security.
Legal Advice for Civil Partnerships and Unmarried Couples
A civil partnership (pareja de hecho) does not work the same as a marriage under Spanish law, but that does not make the separation any simpler or mean there is less to resolve.
If you have bought property together, if you have children in common, if one of you made greater financial sacrifices than the other. All of this has legal consequences that do not disappear simply because you were not married.
Separation and dissolution of Civil Partnership
The dissolution of a registered civil partnership requires a specific procedure. If the partnership was not registered, the situation is different but not without consequences.
In either case, there are outstanding matters to address: assets, debts, any financial support that may apply, and everything related to children if there are any.
Division of Shared Assets and Property
The home you bought together creates a co-ownership that needs to be resolved.
The same applies to joint accounts, loans, businesses or any other assets acquired jointly. The division follows its own rules, and if there is no agreement, its own procedures.
Custody and Children in a Civil Partnership
Having children without being married does not change the obligations of either parent.
Custody, contact, child support and extraordinary expenses are regulated in exactly the same way as in any other family law case.
Ruth López Morueco, Family Lawyer in Torrevieja
I am bar member nº 1595 of the Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Orihuela and a member of the Spanish Association of Family Lawyers.
Before settling in Torrevieja I practised for more than eight years in Madrid (nº 78,344), and have spent over 20 years working on family cases in the Vega Baja.
Civil partnership separations concentrate in one process things that are usually dealt with separately: assets, children, and often the family home too.
I deal with all of this so that it becomes an ordered process designed around your specific situation.
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Advice for Civil Partnerships in Torrevieja
Whether the civil partnership was registered or not, whether there are children or whether the matter is purely about finances, I can help you see your legal position clearly and identify the most efficient way to resolve it.
You do not need to arrive with everything sorted. You need to clarify the situation and take the right steps.
Ruth López Morueco
Av. de la Asunción, 7 — Centro Comercial Filton, local 40
03186 Torrevieja (Alicante)
Any doubts?
Do I have the same rights as if we were married?
Not exactly. Civil partnerships have legal recognition in Spain, but the rights involved vary depending on whether the partnership was registered, in which autonomous community, and what assets or circumstances are at stake.
Is the house we bought together a jointly owned matrimonial asset?
No. Gananciales (joint matrimonial property) is a regime exclusive to marriage. If you bought the property together, there is a co-ownership, each of you holds a share, and dissolving it requires a specific procedure. If one party paid more than the other, that is also legally relevant.
What about children if we were never married?
Exactly the same as in a divorce: custody, contact, child support and extraordinary expenses are regulated in the same way. The absence of a marriage has no effect on the rights of the children or the obligations of each parent.
How much does it cost to deal with a civil partnership separation?
¿Cuánto cuesta gestionar la ruptura de una pareja de hecho?
It depends on whether there is agreement between the parties, whether there are children, what assets need to be divided, and whether the situation requires court proceedings or can be resolved by other means. Fees are discussed in the first consultation.
Get in contact
If you are in the middle of a separation and do not know where to begin, or if you simply want to understand your rights before taking any steps, we can cover everything in the first consultation.
Consultation in person or via video call. I’ll reply within 24 hours.