RECHTSWISSENSCHAFTLICHE FAKULTÄT / Universität Freiburg Lehrstuhl für XXX Joint Custody & Shared Physical Custody in Switzerland Martin Widrig
RECHTSWISSENSCHAFTLICHE FAKULTÄT / Universität FreiburgLehrstuhl für XXX
Joint Custody & Shared Physical Custody in Switzerland
Martin Widrig
RECHTSWISSENSCHAFTLICHE FAKULTÄT / Universität FreiburgLehrstuhl für XXX
Joint Custody & Shared Physical Custody in Switzerland
Table of Contents
A. Insight into Switzerland
B. Divorce Behaviour
C. Share of Parental Tasks
D. Custody
E. Shared Physical Custody
F. Conclusion
2
A. Insight into Switzerland (1)
Population: 8 Million (2013)
Federation: 26 Cantons
4 Languages/Cultures: German (65.6%)
French (22.8%)
Italian (8.4%)
Romanch (0.6%)
Aging population: < 20 : 20% (in 1900: 41%)
20 – 39 : 27%
40 – 64 : 36%
> 65 : 17%
3
A. Insight into Switzerland (2)
Births
4
Switzerland OECD-average
Remarks
Birth-rate 1.50 1.74 Fig. 1
Births/year 80’000
Illegitimate children
16.2% 33.4% Fig. 2
A. Insight into Switzerland (3)
Households
5
Households with...
Switzerland OECD-average
Remarks
No children 74.1% 61%
Children 25.9% 39% Fig. 3
• One 10.3 17.5
• Two 12.2 15.2
• Three & more 3.4 6.3
6
A. Insight into Switzerland (4)
Households with Children
Children living with
Switzerland OECD-average
both parents 84.7 83.8 Fig. 4
one parent 15.2 14.9
A. Insight into Switzerland (5)
Public Spending
Fig. 5
7
% of GDP
France 3.67
UK 3.56
OECD-average 2.19
Switzerland 1.4
A. Switzerland, an Overview (6)
Poverty Risk
Fig. 6 and 7
8
Avg. Sole parent Two parents
Working Not working
No worker
One worker
Two workers
Switzerland 9.4 21.6 7.6
OECD-average
12.7 61.4 21.3 49.4 17.3 3.9
B. Divorce Behavior (1)
9
B. Divorce Behavior (2)
Increasing number of divorces:
Duration of marriage: 14.5 years
Requested by husband: in 37%
Divorces involving children:
10
2010 54.4% (22’081)
1970 15.4%
Switzerland OECD-average
45.1% 55.9%
B. Divorce Behavior (3)
Number of Children concerned
Year Children concerned
2010 15’374
2009 13’789
2008 14’141
11
B. Divorce Behavior (4)
Age of Children concerned
Year Children concerned
0-4 years 5-9 years 10-14 years 15 years +
2010 15’374 9% 31% 36% 25%
2009 13’789 8 31 36 25
2008 14’141 8 31 36 25
Total 67%
12
Ideal age for Shared Physical Custody
C. Share of Parental Tasks (1)
Overview
Dual-earner families (76%)
Most Mothers work, even
when child < 3 years (58%, OECD: 52%)
with > 2 children (58%, OECD: 44%)
Many women work part-time (47%, OECD: 22%)
Most Fathers work full time (90%)
Mothers do most house and family work
Fig. 8 - 11
13
C. Share of Parental Tasks (2)
14
Age youngest Child
Task Mother (hrs.)
Father (hrs.)
0-6 years House & Family
55.6 29.4 35%
Job
11.8 40.1
Total 67.4 69.5
7-14 years House & Family
44.4 22.2 33%
Job
16.7 40.3
Total 61.1 62.5
Fig. 12
C. Share of Parental Tasks (3)
Child Related Family Work
15
Hours
Mother 20.5
Father
12.2 (37%)
Fathers are important Attachment Figures
D. Custody (1)
Legal situation
January 1, 2000 January 1, 2014
Married Parents Joint Custody Joint Custody Joint Custody
Divorced Parents Sole Custody(1988)
• Sole Custody• Joint Custody (consent)
• Joint Custody • Sole Custody (exception)
Unmarried Parents Sole Custody • Sole Custody • Joint Custody (consent + convention)
• Sole Custody • Joint Custody (Consent or on request)
16
D. Custody (2)
Attribution of Custody
17
Year Mother Joint Custody Father
2010 50.6% 45.5% 3.8%
2009 55.9 39.4 4.5%
2008 58.4 36.3 4.8%
2006 64.7 29.0 6.0%
2003 68.1 25.8 5.7%
2000 78.5 14.6 6.4%
D. Custody (3)
Regional Differences in attribution of Custody
18
Canton Mother Joint Custody Father
Zurich (German) 53.4% 42.8% 3.9%
Geneva (French) 36.2 61.2 2.6
Ticino (Italian) 50.9 47.4 1.7
D. Custody (4)
Attribution of Custody to Unmarried Parents (City of Zurich, 60% live together)
19
Year # of Illegitimate children born
Joint Custody
2010 1166 67.8%
2008 972 65.3
2006 679 52.7
2004 634 41.5
2002 649 40.5
D. Custody (5) Discussion
Joint Custody:
Increase since 2000
Low attribution when unmarried parents did not live together
Regional differences
Big differences to neighbouring countries with same language
20
Germany Switzerland
Sole Custody of Father (2010)
13% 3.8%
D. Custody (6) Discussion
Problems with existing Custody Rules:
Consent “of both parents”
Too little contact rights + low protection Loss of contact (50%)
Incompatibility with Human Rights (ECHR, 2009):
21
D. Custody (7) Discussion
ECHR, judgement Zaunegger v. Germany (22028/04), 3.12.2009
Discrimination of unmarried fathers (Art. 8 + 14 ECHR)
Protection of custody by Art. 8 ECHR
Custody includes decisions on: Education, Care & where the Child lives
Requirement of judicial review (is measure in in Child’s best
interest?)
22
D. Custody (8) Discussion
ECHR, judgement Zaunegger
?? Right to Joint and Shared Physical Custody ?? Art. 8 ECHR Art. 16 UN-Convention of the Rights of the Child
If JC & SPC in child’s best Interest: no reason for restriction Right of the Child to have best possible care-solution
Minimal consequences: Regulation of SPC in legislation Attribution of JC & SPC without consent must be possible (CBI)
23
D. Custody (9) Discussion
Lessons from Joint Custody Revision (2004-2014):
Heavy opposition
Scepticism by many practicians and authorities
But: Wide Acceptance and openness by the Population
24
E. Shared Physical Custody (1)
25
January 1, 2000 January 1, 2014
Divorced Parents
Legally not possible
Possible if • Joint Custody • Consent• Childs BI
??? ECHR ??? Unmarried Parents
E. Shared Physical Custody (2)
Attribution No official data
Büchler/Simoni (NFP 52): 5.1% (28/567 divorces, Zurich &
Basel)
Other results: Mothers happier with JC More contact between children and fathers with JC Wealthy fathers had 2x more JC High education more JC Paid work with shared physical custody:
26
0-50% 50-<100% 100%
Mothers 33.3% 61.1% 5.6%
Fathers 0% 42.8% 57.2%
E. Shared Physical Custody (3)
Shared physical Custody
very rare
Lack of interest by authorities no data No changes in on-going Revision
Big differences to neighbouring countries with same language
But: Acceptance that SPC is best solution for child if parents live
together (Bürgisser, NFP 52)
27
Switzerland France Belgium Germany
5.1 % 14.9% 27.1% «boom»
E. Shared Physical Custody (4)
Possible Reasons for Low Rate of Shared Physical Custody
Lack of possibilities (official argument)
“Care-Taker-Rights”
Lack of Regulation, Recognition and Knowledge
Strong Opposition
Agreements in the Shadow of the law?
Possible problems if no regulation in maintenance Law (e.g.
Germany)
28
29
E. Shared Physical Custody (5)
Care-Takers-Right (Obhutsrechte; Droits de garde)
includes the right to decide:
who cares for child?
how is cared for the child?
where the child lives?
Is attributed to one parent only, unless consent of both parents
Share = Loss of privileges
Compatibility with Case Law of ECHR (CBI)?
F. Conclusion
Shared physical Custody…
…is in the best interest of the child
…is the ideal solution for most children concerned
…gives the care-taker more independence and makes him happy
…corresponds to the share of parental tasks before divorce
…is protected by human rights of the child and the parents
…is accepted by population
Urgent need for regulation and public information
Useful other measures in the CBI: check for “Die Cochemer Praxis”
30
31
Questions?
32
Thank you!