The birth mother’s assent to adoption and the limitation of autonomy of women’s will in Spanish law: a proposal "de lege ferenda"

 Volume 13 Numbe 2 2020 ___________________________________________________________________________ ARTICLES  In e p e ing he Condi ions o Imp é ision: The Goals o he Re o m P ojec s as a Decisi e Tool o F ench and Belgian Cou s Luigi Mon e usco  The Bi h Mo he ’s Assen o Adop ion and he Limi a ion o Au onomy o Women’s Will in Spanish Law: A P oposal de lege e enda Ma ía Vic o ia Mayo del Hoyo CIVIL LAW TRANSLATIONS  Bilingual English-Spanish Louisiana Ci il Code, Book I, Ti les IV-X Ma iano Vi e a  T ilingual Louisiana Ci il Code, Book IV: Con lic o Laws in English, F ench, and Spanish Oli ie Mo é eau & Ma iano Vi e a CIVIL LAW IN THE WORLD  A gen ina Julie a Ma o a & Agus ín Pa ise BOOK REVIEWS  Ha y Dondo p, Da id Ibbe son, and El jo J. H. Sch age (eds.), Limi a ion and P esc ip ion: A Compa a i e Legal His o y Benjamin Wes Janke  Jan Jakob Bo nheim, P ope y Righ s and Biju alism James Go dley Also in his issue: REDISCOVERED TREASURES OF LOUISIANA LAW; CIVIL LAW IN LOUISIANA JOURNAL OF CIVIL LAW STUDIES Edi o -in-Chie Oli ie Mo é eau Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA Associa e Edi o -in-Chie Agus ín Pa ise Facul y o Law, Maas ich Uni e si y, The Ne he lands Execu i e Managing Edi o Ch is abelle Le eb e Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA Managing Edi o Ma iano Vi e a Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA Book-Re iew Edi o Se h S. B os o Uni e si y o Alabama School o Law, USA Hono a y Membe s o he Ad iso y Boa d Robe A. Pascal† Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA Rodol o Sacco Facul y o Law, Uni e si y o Tu in, I aly Jacques P. Vande linden† Facul y o Law, F ee Uni e si y o B ussels, Belgium Uni e si y o Monc on, Canada Ad iso y Boa d S a his Banakas No wich Law School, Uni e si y o Eas Anglia, Uni ed Kingdom Paul R. Baie Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA And ea Beauchamp Ca oll Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA Elizabe h R. Ca e Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA Seán P. Donlan Facul y o Law, Thompson Ri e s Uni e si y, Canada F ançois du Toi Facul y o Law, Uni e si y o he Wes e n Cape, Sou h A ica Mu iel Fab e-Magnan Facul y o Law, Uni e si y Pan héon-So bonne, Pa is 1, F ance F édé ique Fe and Facul y o Law, Uni e si y Jean Moulin, Lyon 3, F ance Sil ia Fe e i Facul y o Law, Uni e si y o Tu in, I aly James R. Go dley Tulane Uni e si y Law School, USA Michele G aziadei Facul y o Law, Uni e si y o Tu in, I aly Da id W. G uning College o Law, Loyola Uni e si y New O leans, USA A ila Ha ma hy Facul y o Law, Eö ös Lo ánd Uni e si y, Budapes , Hunga y Rosalie Jukie McGill Uni e si y Facul y o Law, Canada Nicholas Kasi e Jus ice, Sup eme Cou o Canada, Canada Pnina Laha Bos on Uni e si y School o Law, USA Alain A. Le asseu Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA Melissa T. Loneg ass Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA Hec o MacQueen Uni e si y o Edinbu gh School o Law, Uni ed Kingdom Ul ich Magnus Facul y o Law, Uni e si y o Hambu g, Ge many Blandine Malle -B icou Facul y o Law, Uni e si y Jean Moulin, Lyon 3, F ance Juana Ma co Molina Facul y o Law, Uni e si y o Ba celona, Spain Michael McAuley Ad oca e, Mon eal, Canada Nadia Nedzel Sou he n Uni e si y Law Cen e , USA Ba ba a Pozzo Facul y o Law, Uni e si y o Insub ia, Como, I aly Ch is a Rau enbach Facul y o Law, No h-Wes Uni e si y, Sou h A ica F ancisco Reyes Villamiza Facul y o Law, Uni e si y o he Andes, Colombia Cla e Ryan Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA Michel Séjean Facul y o Law, Uni e si y B e agne Sud, F ance Lionel Smi h McGill Uni e si y Facul y o Law, Canada Jan M. Smi s Facul y o Law, Maas ich Uni e si y, The Ne he lands Fe nando Tolle Facul y o Law, Aus al Uni e si y, A gen ina John Randall T ahan Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA Lécia Vicen e Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA S e an Vogenaue Max Planck Ins i u e o Eu opean Legal His o y, Ge many Michael L. Wells Uni e si y o Geo gia School o Law, USA Pie e Widme † Swiss Ins i u e o Compa a i e Law, Lausanne-Do igny, Swi ze land Na ional Co esponden s Ca los Felipe Amuná egui Pe elló, Chile Ewa Bagińska, Poland Lucas Ab eu Ba oso, B azil Claudia Ma ía Cas o Valle, Cen al Ame ica Roland Djieu ack, OHADA Coun ies Lau a F anciosi, I aly Thomas Kadne -G aziano, Swi ze land Saskia Le maie , Ge many Juana Ma co Molina, Spain Julie a Ma o a, A gen ina Mohamed Ma a , A ab Coun ies Mus apha Mekki, F ance Luis Muñiz A güelles, Pue o Rico Asya Os oukh, Russia Alexand a Popo ici, Québec Vincen Sagae , Belgium Jo ge A. Sánchez Co de o, Mexico Bing Shui, China F ançois du Toi , Sou h A ica Lécia Vicen e, Po ugal La s an Vlie , The Ne he lands Senio G adua e Edi o s Jessica D. B ewe Adam L. Lalibe e Pea son A. Wolk Junio G adua e Edi o s Jacque P. Biggs Cai lin R. B inson Wins on M. Faulk Kelsi Flo es Ka ie Fox A hu H. Pea cy Michael Sande s Me edi h W. Smi h Macy P. Spence Ri e s S ephens Technical Suppo Kayla Reed Louisiana S a e Uni e si y Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , USA JOURNAL OF CIVIL LAW STUDIES (ISSN 1944-3749) Published by he Cen e o Ci il Law S udies, Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e , Louisiana S a e Uni e si y. © Ma ch 2021, Cen e o Ci il Law S udies The JCLS welcomes submissions o A icles, No es, Commen s, Essays, Book Re iews, and Gene al In o ma ion. Unless o he wise ag eed, con ibu ions should ha e been nei he published no submi ed o publica ion elsewhe e. All con ibu ions will be subjec o a c i ical e iew by he Edi o s, and will be subjec ed o pee - e iew. Edi o ial comunica ion and books o e iew should be add essed o he edi o -in-chie and sen o ou edi o ial o ices. Edi o ial o ices: Cen e o Ci il Law S udies LSU Paul M. Hebe Law Cen e Sui e W326, 1 Eas Campus D i e Ba on Rouge, LA 70803 [email protected] www.law.lsu.edu/jcls JOURNAL OF CIVIL LAW STUDIES _________________________________________________________________________________ VOLUME 13 NUMBER 2 2020 _________________________________________________________________________________ ARTICLES In e p e ing he Condi ions o Imp é ision: The Goals o he Re o m P ojec s as a Decisi e Tool o F ench and Belgian Cou s Luigi Mon e usco 193 The Bi h Mo he ’s Assen o Adop ion and he Limi a ion o Au onomy o Women’s Will in Spanish Law: A P oposal de lege e enda Ma ía Vic o ia Mayo del Hoyo 249 CIVIL LAW TRANSLATIONS Bilingual English-Spanish Louisiana Ci il Code, Book I, Ti les IV-X Ma iano Vi e a 277 T ilingual Louisiana Ci il Code, Book IV: Con lic o Laws in English, F ench, and Spanish Oli ie Mo é eau & Ma iano Vi e a 351 CIVIL LAW IN THE WORLD A gen ina Public and P i a e In e mingled: Changes in he Family and P ope y Laws o A gen ina Julie a Ma o a & Agus ín Pa ise 383 BOOK REVIEWS Ha y Dondo p, Da id Ibbe son, and El jo J. H. Sch age (eds.), Limi a ion and P esc ip ion: A Compa a i e Legal His o y Benjamin Wes Janke 417 Jan Jakob Bo nheim, P ope y Righ s and Biju alism James Go dley 425 REDISCOVERED TREASURES OF LOUISIANA LAW In oduc ion o Robe A. Pascal’s Memo andum: The Code as a Tex book and a Rule Book Oli ie Mo é eau 435 A Memo andum on he O ganiza ion o he Ci il Code and Explana o y Ma e ial Robe A. Pascal 440 CIVIL LAW IN LOUISIANA Lege . Lege Jessica B ewe 447 Boo he . DOTD Jacque P. Biggs 459 2020] ASSENT TO ADOPTION IN SPANISH LAW 255 I belie e, howe e , ha he assen o he pa en s mus anscend pa en al au ho i y and be based on he ju idical ela ionship be ween pa en and child. Adop ion does indeed pu an end o pa en al au- ho i y, bu i only does so because he ilia ion bond is ex inguished. Wha is essen ial is no ha pa en al au ho i y ends, bu ha ilia ion disappea s. Pa en al au ho i y is me ely an ins i u ion o he p o ec- ion o mino s ha he law links o pa en hood. The pa en al ela- ionship has legal con en and a signi icance in he li es o hose who o m a pa o i ha is much mo e impo an in in ensi y and ex ension han he me e a ibu ion o his empo a y unc ion-du y. Th ough he egula ion o ilia ion, he law a ibu es legal suppo o a ela ionship ha is gi en by na u e i sel . The legal bond es ab- lished acco ding o he ules o de e mining pa en age can only be des oyed i i is demons a ed in a judicial p oceeding ha he pa- e ni y o ma e ni y is no au hen ic. I hey a e alid, he bond e- mains. No wi hs anding he abo e, by egula ing adop ion, he legal sys em has p o ided o he c ea ion o a pa en -child ela ionship no based on biology. Since he cons i u ion o his new bond neces- sa ily en ails he disappea ance o he o iginal bond, he biological pa en s, as pa ies di ec ly in ol ed, mus ake pa : he ela ionship ha he law c ea ed o ecognize hei na u al bond will cease o ex- is . Tha is he basis o hei assen o adop ion. Tha said, i he pa en s do no comply wi h hei pa en al du ies and place hei child in a si ua ion o need, hen he abo e men ioned does no p e en ha p io i y be gi en o he child’s bes in e es s o e ha o hei pa en s. This makes i easie o he S a e o ein- eg a e he child in o ano he amily h ough adop ion, wi hou he need o he assen o he biological pa en s, hus dep i ing hem o he possibili y o deciding on he con inui y o he pa en -child ela- ionship. Wha would exclude he ju idical ela ionship be ween pa en and child as a basis o pa en al assen o adop ion is he possibili y ha an emancipa ed child could be adop ed wi hou he assen o he pa en s. This adop ion would be a unila e al b eak o he pa en - 256 JOURNAL OF CIVIL LAW STUDIES [Vol. 13 child bond wi hou he child ha ing a eal need o be p o ec ed o wi hou he pa en s ha ing ailed in hei du ies; and his ac would lea e hem de enseless. Na u ally, p ecau ions should be aken o a oid he p e en ion o a ai adop ion due o a malicious e usal o he pa en s. I should no be o go en ha he ela ionship be ween a pa en and a child is he s onges o exis . I he law is no indi e en o he mo e—admi edly—banal o colla e al in e es s o o he sub- jec s, such as hose o he adop e ’s spouse o pa ne , i should no dis ega d he in e es s ha de i e om his essen ial bond. These a e, in ac , in e es s ha a e aken in o accoun by in e na ional con- en ions: he Con en ion on he Righ s o he Child s a es in a icle 9 ha “S a es Pa ies shall ensu e ha a child shall no be sepa a ed om his o he pa en s agains hei will” and in a icle 21, i speci- ies, conce ning adop ion, ha hose pe sons in ol ed, including he pa en s, mus gi e hei “in o med consen .” The Eu opean Con en- ion on Adop ion18 also equi es he assen o he pa en s and ha he pa en s a e duly in o med: “o he e ec s o hei consen , in pa icula whe he o no an adop ion will esul in he e mina ion o he legal ela ionship be ween he child and his o he amily o o igin.” And he Eu opean Cou o Human Righ s has s a ed ha adop ion wi hou he assen o he mo he may be con a y o he igh o amily li e p oclaimed by a icle 8 o he Eu opean Con en- ion on Human Righ s.19 IV. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BIRTH MOTHER’S ASSENT The assen o he biological mo he , jus as—when applicable— ha o he a he , is p esen ed as a necessa y bu non-binding mani- es a ion o he will o he pe son who is no a pa y o he adop i e bond bu is a ec ed by i . 18. Eu opean Con en ion on he Adop ion o Child en, a . 5(1)(a). 19. See Omo e e c. Espagne, No. 69339/16, June 23, 2020. 2020] ASSENT TO ADOPTION IN SPANISH LAW 257 He a o able will is a condi ion sine qua non o he alid con- s i u ion o he adop ion. Wi h ha mani es a ion o he will, he bi h mo he , no a pa y o he bond bu a ec ed by i , does no as- sume he con en o he ju idical ela ionship o he adop ion, wi h he igh s and du ies ha compose i , bu au ho izes he p oduc ion o hose e ec s.20 This au ho iza ion, is necessa y, bu —jus as wi h consen —no binding o he judge. The judge is no obliga ed o g an he adop ion, bu once he necessa y equi emen s ha e been me , he o she can decide eely in he bes in e es s o he child. The me e exis ence o he biological mo he , and in some cases o he legally iden i ied biological a he , does no make he assen o he adop ion manda o y, bu he concu ence o ce ain ci cum- s ances p o ided by law is necessa y. As al eady men ioned, he adop ee mus no be emancipa ed, and he biological pa en mus no be dep i ed o his o he pa en al au ho i y by a inal judgemen , no ha e legal g ounds o such dep i a ion, no ha e his o he pa en al au ho i y suspended wi hin he pe iod o wo yea s a e he no i i- ca ion o he decla a ion o abandonmen wi hou opposi ion o wi h opposi ion dismissed.21 Howe e , he Ci il Code admi s he possibili y ha , when assen is equi ed due o he ci cums ances indica ed, i can be dispensed wi h i he mo he who is obliged o p o ide i is unable o do so. Reasons o his may include, o example, ha he capaci y o ac has changed, ha she has been decla ed judicially absen , ha he whe eabou s a e unknown so ha i is impossible o summon he , o ha i , ha ing been summoned, she does no appea .22 20. This unc ion o au ho iza ion o legal e ec s has al eady been e e ed o by VARGAS sup a no e 8, a 227. See PÉREZ, sup a no e 3, a 191, he obse es ha assen is no a diminished o a enua ed consen bu is a quali ied consen - au ho iza ion o he ac ions o hose who a e no subjec o he ela ionship ha is o be cons i u ed by judicial decision. See also Miguel Ángel Pé ez Ál a ez, Comen a io al a . 177 del Código ci il, in CÓDIGO CIVIL COMENTADO 937 (2d ed., Ped o de Pablo Con e as e al. eds., Ci i as 2016). 21. A . 177.2.2 CC. 22. See a . 177.2 CC; see also a . 38.3, Law 15/2015, o July 2, 2015, Law on Volun a y Ju isdic ion Law [he eina e LVJ]. 258 JOURNAL OF CIVIL LAW STUDIES [Vol. 13 The basis and impo ance o he mo he ’s assen ha e al eady been poin ed ou . Howe e , some imes, si ua ions o impossibili y o neglec o du ies may a ise in connec ion wi h he mani es a ion o his will, which may e en block he adop ion. In such cases whe e he judge canno coun on he mo he ’s assen , i he o she belie es ha adop ion is he bes op ion and ha i s ands a good chance o being a success ul one, p e en ing he judge om es ablishing he adop ion would cause signi ican damage o he mino , who would be dep i ed o he p o ec ion ha his measu e o amily in eg a ion o e s him. Fo his eason, he legisla o —balancing hese ci cum- s ances and he in e es s o he child and he mo he —is inclined o a o he bene i o he child. Thus, he legisla o egula es he pos- sibili y ha , in hese cases, he adop ion can be alidly cons i u ed e en wi hou he manda o y assen , sac i icing, i necessa y, he pos- sible in e es o he mo he , who is s ill a hi d pa y in he adop ion. In sho , i seeks o a oid a si ua ion in which a ailu e o comply wi h a p esupposi ion—in ended o gua an ee he in e es s o a hi d pa y—caused ei he by impossibili y o by he abandonmen o ob- liga ions o he holde o such in e es s, migh p e en an unp o- ec ed mino access o a amily-in eg a ion measu e. I should no be o go en ha adop ion is a measu e o he p o ec ion o mino s. No wi hs anding he o egoing, he law p o ides o he possi- bili y ha a mo he who has been unable o gi e he assen h ough no aul o he own may, i ce ain ci cums ances a ise, eques he e mina ion o he adop ion unde he e ms o a icle 180.2 CC.23 As o he pa icula o abs ac na u e o he mo he ’s au ho iza- ion o e ec s, a icle 177.2 in ine exp essly excludes he possibili y ha in adop ions equi ing a p io p oposal om he public body, he assen o he pa en s may be gi en o speci ic adop e s. The p o- ision, which had been con ained in he Law on Ci il P ocedu e o 1881 in a . 1830 (since 1987), has been eloca ed o he Ci il Code 23. See An onio Vela Sánchez, I e ocabilidad, nulidad y ex inción de la adopción, 70 ANUARIO DE DERECHO CIVIL 1230 e seq. (2017) o a wo k on he ex inc ion o adop ion. 2020] ASSENT TO ADOPTION IN SPANISH LAW 259 by Law 26/2015. In o de o a oid i egula ac ions and child a - icking, he law excludes biological pa en s om decisions ela ed o he selec ion o adop e s, which is he esponsibili y o he admin- is a ion. To admi assen wi h espec o speci ic adop e s would imply in e e ence in he selec ion wo k o he public en i y, which would hen be seen as subjec o he con ol and app o al o he pa - en s. P ecisely o his eason, he p ecep e e s o cases in which a p e ious p oposal is equi ed: when he e is no p oposal om he public body, which is he excep ion, he adop e s a e de e mined by he legally o eseen ci cums ances and— heo e ically— hey a e no chosen.24 On he o he hand, in such cases, in eali y, ei he he p o- hibi ion is illogical (when he adop e is he spouse o pa ne o he pa en 25) o i is simply no possible o necessa y o ob ain hei as- sen (when he pa en s ha e died and an uncle is going o adop he o phan,26 when he child is emancipa ed27 o when a gua dian is go- ing o adop he child al eady unde hei ca e28). In iew o he abo e, i can be said ha , in gene al, he e ec au ho ized by he biological mo he , and in some cases he a he , is he up u e o 24. A . 176 CC s a es ha : [N]o p oposal shall be equi ed i he p ospec i e adop ee mee s any o he ollowing ci cums ances: 1. Being an o phan and a ela i e o he adop e in he hi d deg ee by consanguini y o a ini y. 2. Being a child o he spouse o pe son pa ne ed wi h he adop e in an emo ional ela ionship akin o ma iage. 3. Ha ing been in legal os e ca e o mo e han a yea unde a measu e o a p e-adop i e os e ca e, o ha ing been unde he adop e ’s gua di- anship o he same ime. 4. Being o legal age o an emancipa ed mino . 25. See a . 176.2.2 CC. 26. See a . 176.2.1 CC. 27. See a . 176.2.4 CC. 28. See a . 176.2.3 CC: The p ohibi ion would make sense only in he case o adop ion—wi hou p oposal—by he p e-adop i e gua dian o mo e han one yea , as he e would ha e been a p io selec ion by he public en i y and he e could be in e e ence. 260 JOURNAL OF CIVIL LAW STUDIES [Vol. 13 hei legal pa en al bonds and he cons i u ion o new ones,29 wi h indi e ence as o who hese bonds a e o med wi h.30 Finally, he decla a ion o he mo he ’s will is o a s ic ly pe - sonal na u e, as i will be shown below. This excludes he possibili y o ep esen a ion. P oo o his is ha , as has been men ioned, a icle 177.2 CC es ablishes ha assen can be dispensed wi h when he pe son who mus gi e i is unable o do so.31 V. FORM OF THE BIRTH MOTHER’S ASSENT Law 26/2015 has in oduced a new pa ag aph in a icle 177 CC, which e e s join ly o he o m o issuance o consen s and assen s: “ hey shall be eely g an ed, wi h he equi ed legal o m and in w i ing, a e in o ma ion abou he consequences he eo has been p o ided.” Since i e e s o he “ equi ed legal o m,” i is necessa y o e e o he speci ic p o isions o he law in his ega d: in pa ic- ula o a icle 177.2 o he Ci il Code and, especially, a icles 35.2 and 37.1 o Law 15/2015, o July 2, 2015, on Volun a y Ju isdic ion (LVJ)—which eplaces he p o isions o he Ci il P ocedu e Law (LCP).32 29. I should be no ed ha excep in he case o an open adop ion, he possi- bili y o he bi h pa en s ha ing knowledge o he speci ic adop e s p oposed is, o should be, limi ed. A . 39.2 LVJ es ablishes ha he p oceedings will be ca - ied ou wi h app op ia e ese a ion, a oiding in pa icula ha he amily o o igin has knowledge o he adop i e one. So i would no be easy o bi h pa en s o gi e hei assen o he adop e s. This possibili y was exp essly excluded by lawmake s in o de o ein o ce hei policy o comba ing hese i egula p ac ices. 30. See PÉREZ, sup a no e 3, a 184: Pé ez Ál a ez has obse ed ha wha he law p ohibi s is ha he assen o he pa en s e e o “speci ic adop e s,” ha is o say, he pe sonalized de e mina ion o he adop e , bu no he ci cums ances ha mus be p esen in i . He he e o e conside s ha “no hing p ecludes he pos- sibili y o pa en s o condi ion hei assen o he ac ha he adop i e pa en s mee ce ain ci cums ances (mo ali y, li elihood, o concu ence o ce ain amily budge s. . . .).” He adds ha “i his is admi ed, i would appea ha wha is ex- cluded is subjec i ely-condi ioned assen , bu no assen ha would ha e been objec i ely condi ioned.” In he same sense, Ma ía Angeles Pa a Lucán, Au ono- mía de la olun ad y de echo de amilia, in 1 AUTONOMÍA DE LA VOLUNTAD EN EL DERECHO PRIVADO: ESTUDIOS EN CONMEMORACIÓN DEL 150 ANIVERSARIO DE LA LEY DEL NOTARIADO 421-422 (Wol e s Kluwe 2012). 31. See sec ion VI. 32. Be o e he LVJ, he ma e had been egula ed, since 1987, by he Ci il P ocedu e Ac o 1881 unde a s. 1829.1(c), 1830. The new law has e ained he 2020] ASSENT TO ADOPTION IN SPANISH LAW 261 In iew o hese p ecep s, he issuance o he biological mo he ’s assen is no obliga o y be o e he judge, unlike he consen o hose who a e pa o he adop ion. The law es ablishes wo di e en mo- men s o he p o ision o assen —be o e o a e he opening o a ile o a speci ic adop ion and h ee ways o issuing i : in a public documen , be o e he public en i y, o be o e he judge, which links he di e en phases o momen s: (i) Issuance o assen be o e he ile is opened: he law allows assen o be gi en be o e he adop ion ile is opened, ei he be o e he public body o in a public documen , a he choice o he issue . This p io assen mus be s a ed in he p oposal o he public en i y, so ha he cou cle k does no summon he mo he and ha he judge is awa e o he ul ilmen o he equi emen .33 The assen hus gi en has an expi y pe iod o six mon hs om i s issuance.34 Al hough he Volun a y Ju isdic ion Law does no ex- p essly say so, i seems ha he ime a which i mus be checked whe he he assen has expi ed is when he adop ion p oposal is sub- mi ed. This was s a ed in he p e ious a icle 1830.2 LCP. This p e- cep also indica ed ha , once his pe iod had passed, i was neces- sa y o he assen o be enewed be o e he judge. The new a icle 37.1 LVJ does no exp essly men ion he necessa y enewal be o e he judge ei he , bu i can be deduced, wi hou a doub , om he p o ision o summoning he subjec s in ques ion be o e he judge. On he o he hand, inasmuch as he law does no es ablish he i e ocabili y o he assen hus gi en, he e does no seem o be any incon enience in he possibili y ha , so long as a ile is no ini ia ed, a e ac ion o assen may be issued in he same o m in which i was gi en. In such a case, he mo he obliga ed o gi e he assen mus be summoned unde he e ms o a icle 37.1 LVJ in o de o issue i be o e he judge, i necessa y. essence o he p e ious egula ion, al hough wi h some a ia ion in he wo ding o he ules en ailing ce ain subs an i e changes. 33. See a s. 35.2-35.4 LVJ; see also a . 37.2 LVJ. 34. A . 37.1.2 LVJ. 262 JOURNAL OF CIVIL LAW STUDIES [Vol. 13 (ii) Issuance o he assen once he ile has been opened: once he ile has been opened, he mo he who, acco ding o a icle 177.2 CC, mus assen and has no ye done so—ei he in a public documen o be o e he public en i y—o who, ha ing gi en he as- sen mo e han six mon hs ago such ha i has expi ed, will be sum- moned o do so be o e he judge.35 In ega d o he possibili y ha , ha ing gi en assen be o e he judge, i could be e oked be o e a decision is made, i is no easily de ensible, jus as i happens in he case o consen . Jus as con- sen —o adop e s and, i applicable, he adop ed—is con igu ed by he law as an essen ial elemen in he cons i u ion o he adop ion, so ha i is no possible o imagine an adop ion wi hou he a o able will o hose who a e a pa y o i , he same is no ue o assen , since—as has al eady been explained— he law has no p oblem in decla ing an adop ion wi hou i . I mus be also added ha a g ea deal o damage could be caused o he child by desis ing a he las minu e—a e he ime and ene gy in es ed in he p ocedu e—by a pe son whose will is no conside ed essen ial by he law.36 Fo all hese easons, e oca ion is no easily jus i iable. No wi hs anding he abo e, he ac ha i does no seem de ensible ha he mo he ’s epen ance au oma ically p e en s he cons i u ion o he adop ion does no mean ha he judge should dis ega d i : i he o she is awa e o his ci cums ance, i should be conside ed in making he inal de- cision.37 I should no be o go en ha he judge in he adop ion esolu ion mus decide in acco dance wi h he bes in e es s o he child.38 35. A . 37.1 LVJ. 36. In his sense, you ha e o coun on i . Acco ding o O ganic Law 8/2015, o July 22, 2015, a . 2.3(c), he i e e sible e ec o he passage o ime on he de elopmen o he child is an elemen o be aken in o accoun in de e mining he in e es o he child. 37. See a . 176.1 CC. 38. See a . 176.1 CC and a . 39.1 LVJ. 2020] ASSENT TO ADOPTION IN SPANISH LAW 263 VI. BIRTH MOTHER’S CAPACITY TO ASSENT The Ci il Code does no con ain any special p o isions ega d- ing he capaci y o gi e assen o adop ion. This may pose p oblems in cases whe e he biological mo he lacks he gene al capaci y o ac because she has no eached he age o majo i y39 o because an o de dep i ing he o capaci y o ac has been issued.40 In such cases, someone could a gue ha ha he assen o he adop ion o he child should be gi en by he mo he ’s ep esen a- i es. Howe e , assen is a s ic ly pe sonal ac , which excludes ep- esen a ion. P oo o his is ha he law admi s ha assen is dis- pensed wi h when he one who mus gi e i is unable o do so.41 I should be emembe ed ha s ic ly pe sonal ac s a e hose ha , due o hei impo ance o cen ali y, can only be pe o med by he pe - son he sel . Fo hese ac s, he na u al capaci y o gi e alid consen is su icien , and ep esen a ion is excluded. Inso a as he mo he ’s assen implies he elimina ion o he legal mo he -child ela ionship and he consequen modi ica ion o he “ci il s a us,”42 i alls wi hin he ca ego y o a pe sonal ac . Because o his, no one can supplan he in his decision. The e o e, he na u al capaci y should be su i- cien o issue he assen . 39. See a . 322 CC. 40. See a . 199 CC. See also a . 322 CC. In Spanish law “A pe son who is o legal age (18 yea s old) has capaci y o all ac s o ci il li e. . . .” Bu when he pe son o legal age does no ha e he na u al capaci y o go e n himsel , he o she may be dep i ed o he capaci y o ac in law by means o a judicial decision. A . 199 CC. s a es: “No one may be decla ed incapable sa e pu suan o a cou judge- men due o he causes se o h in he law.” And a . 200 CC s a es: “Pe sis en physical o men al illnesses o de iciencies which p e en a pe son om go e n- ing himsel shall be causes o incapaci a ion.” A legally incapaci a ed pe son has a gua dian who akes ca e o his o he pe son and p ope y and who can ep esen him o he . 41. See a . 177.2 CC. 42. In Spanish law, “ci il s a us” includes pe sonal si ua ions, endowed wi h a ce ain s abili y and pe manence, which in luence he pe son’s capaci y o ac o de e mine he a ibu ion o speci ic igh s o du ies, and which he legal sys em conside s undamen al o he o ganiza ion o socie y, he eby g an ing hem he same o mal egime which basically a ec s he alloca ion o ce ain sha es and he peculia i ies o hei e idence. 264 JOURNAL OF CIVIL LAW STUDIES [Vol. 13 Conce ning he na u al capaci y o pe o m s ic ly pe sonal ac s, he law some imes es ablishes a gene al p esump ion o ap i ude o speci ic ac s when he pe son eaches a ce ain age, hus a oiding he need o examine capaci y in each speci ic case. Fo example, in he case o a will—wi h he excep ion o a holog aphic will— he e is a gene al p esump ion o na u al capaci y o c ea e a alid will a e he age o ou een.43 In he case o a ma iage, he law indi- ec ly p esumes ha om he age o six een onwa ds he pe son has he capaci y o consen o he ma iage.44 When ecognizing chil- d en, i is also indi ec ly p esumed ha he pe son has he ull na u al capaci y o do so om he age o six een onwa ds, excluding he need o judicial app o al.45 This does no hold in he speci ic case o assen o adop ion, whe e he law does no es ablish a p esump ion o na u al capaci y om a speci ic age. This p o ision does no seem o impede ha ing he assen o a mino biological mo he as a necessa y equi emen o he alid cons i u ion o he adop ion.46 This p esump ion is all he mo e ue i one akes in o accoun he legisla o ’s choice o make manda o y he will o he mino ega ding he adop ion: i e- qui es he consen o he adop ee olde han wel e and allows dual adop ion by a mino spouse (when he o he spouse has eached he age o wen y- i e).47 On his ma e , he T ibunal Sup emo (Su- p eme Cou ) conside ed an adop ion oid on he g ounds ha he assen gi en by he mino biological mo he co esponded o a ic i- ious adop ion.48 43. See a s. 663.1, 688 CC. 44. Compa e a . 46 CC wi h a s. 317, 320 CC. 45. Compa e a . 121 CC wi h a s. 46, 317, 320 CC. 46. Pé ez is inclined o conside he mo he ’ assen o be manda o y in cases o mino i y s a us: see PÉREZ, sup a no e 3, a 188 n.229; And, in he same ein, see VARGAS, sup a no e 8, a 233: in ela ion o pa en s, Va gas Cab e a obse es ha “ he condi ion o a he o mo he and su icien disce nmen will su ice o gi e he co esponding decla a ion o will.” 47. PÉREZ, sup a no e 3. 48. See Judgemen o he T ibunal Sup emo o Jan. 18, 2012. 2020] ASSENT TO ADOPTION IN SPANISH LAW 271 p o ec ed: hey mus be able o decide o hemsel es, and hey ha e he igh o make mis akes.66 This end ha empowe s he au onomy o he will clashes wi h he pa e nalism ha he law s ill main ains, in ma e s o adop ion, wi h espec o p egnan women o women who ha e jus become mo he s. The Code, inding i s jus i ica ion in he impo ance o he decision, dep i es women in hese ci cums ances o any possibili y o decide on he ma e , on he assump ion ha hey lack he capaci y o do so. This is an i ebu able p esump ion, i.e., one which does no admi e idence o he con a y. This p esump ion, in addi ion o a ec ing he ee de elopmen o he woman’s pe sonali y, may place he in a complica ed si ua ion, ex ending he su e ing and psychological bu den ha may be in ol ed in ha ing a pending de- cision ega ding he child and going h ough he issuance o assen . Howe e , his lack o con idence in he decision-making capaci y o he p egnan woman has been abandoned by he legisla o in o he a eas: he law i sel , in O ganic Law 2/2010, o Ma ch 3, 2010, on Sexual and Rep oduc i e Heal h and he Volun a y In e up ion o P egnancy (in which no limi a ions o his ype a e in oduced), de- ends he impo ance o he au onomy o he woman’s will in ma - e s o ilia ion. I main ains ha he decision abou child en “con- s i u es one o he mos in ima e and pe sonal ma e s ha people ace h oughou hei li es, which in eg a es an essen ial a ea o in- di idual sel -de e mina ion” and ha “ he p o ec ion o his a ea o pe sonal au onomy has a singula signi icance o women.”67 I canno be igno ed ha , a imes, he emo ional ension—cha - ac e is ic o human beings— ha su ounds he bi h o a child, as well as he p essu e o ce ain pe sonal, economic, and social ci - cums ances, can cons i u e a handicap in decision-making ega ding he ela ionship o ilia ion. I is, he e o e, unde s andable ha he 66. See U.N. Commi ee on he Righ s o Pe sons wi h Disabili ies, Gene al Commen No. 1, A icle 12: Equal Recogni ion Be o e he Law (2014), h ps://pe ma.cc/U7TF-QMQ6. 67. See O ganic Law 2/2010, o Ma ch 3, 2010, on Sexual and Rep oduc i e Heal h and he Volun a y In e up ion o P egnancy, Sec ion I o he P eamble. 272 JOURNAL OF CIVIL LAW STUDIES [Vol. 13 legal sys em should adop some cau ion ha akes his eali y in o accoun o he bene i o all pa ies. Howe e , he legisla o mus ind a balance be ween his cau ion and he exe cise o he decision-making powe . I mus also ake in o accoun all hose in ol ed. I is ue ha in he ension ha su ounds bi h he e is an impo an physical componen ha (ob iously) only a ec s women and ha can e en be complica ed by condi ions such as pos pa um dep ession.68 Howe e , his ension does no ha e an exclusi ely physical o igin, bu a he has ano he psychological componen ha de i es na u ally om he a i al o a child in o he wo ld and is p esen in bo h pa en s. The e o e, e en i i is no wha is usually done, when ilia ion is de e mined wi h ega d o he a- he , ( o example, because o he exis ence o ma iage69) hese conside a ions should also be aken in o accoun wi h ega d o him. In o de o ensu e his in eg a i e balance, he law could allow pa en s o gi e hei assen o adop ion a any ime du ing p egnancy and a any ime a e bi h, bu wi h he possibili y o eely e oking i wi hin a pe iod o ime, which could be, o example, du ing he wo o h ee mon hs immedia ely ollowing bi h.70 The de e mina- ion o he pe iod o e ocabili y should ake in o accoun he child’s 68. On he subjec , see DANIELA WADIA JARUFE CONTRERAS, TRATAMIENTO LEGAL DE LAS FILIACIONES NO BIOLÓGICAS EN EL ORDENAMIENTO JURÍDICO ESPA- ÑOL: ADOPCIÓN VERSUS TÉCNICAS DE REPRODUCCIÓN HUMANA ASISTIDA 241-242 (Dykinson 2013). 69. See a . 116 CC. 70. This possibili y is no alien o he legisla o , who al eady aised i in he d a ing o he 1987 Ac . Thus, he i s D a Law, o Ma . 10, 1986, p oposed he ollowing wo ding o a . 176.3 CC: “The i e ocable assen o he mo he o he adop ee shall no be accep ed un il i een days ha e elapsed since he bi h” (emphasis added). In a o o i , see PÉREZ, sup a no e 3, a 187, n.228. In some p e ious wo k I al eady de ended he p io p o ision o a e ocable assen : see Ma ia Vic o ia Mayo del Hoyo, Más allá del acogimien o de meno es: incapa- ci ados, e ce a edad y nasci u us, 734 REVISTA CRÍTICA DE DERECHO INMOBI- LIARIO 3235-3236 (2012); MARIA VICTORIA MAYOR DEL HOYO, LA ADOPCIÓN EN EL DERECHO COMÚN ESPAÑOL 243 e seq. (Ti an lo Blanch 2019). In he same ein, see Pa a, sup a no e 30, a 422. also spoke in a o o a sys em simila o his one, se ing he deadline o e oca ion wi hin wo mon hs a e childbi h: see JARUFE, sup a no e 68, a 241 (p e iously, in he de ense o his doc o al dis- se a ion, he al eady ad oca ed his possibili y). 2020] ASSENT TO ADOPTION IN SPANISH LAW 273 in e es in no p olonging unce ain y in o de o a oid he i e e si- ble e ec o he passage o ime on his o he de elopmen .71 In pa icula , a sys em could be se up o p o ide assen in he o m o a public documen ha can be egis e ed ex o icio by he no a y in a egis y c ea ed ad hoc. Once he assen has been issued in hese e ms, he pa en s could, a any momen be o e he deadline se by law, change hei mind in a new no a ized documen . Once his pe iod o ime has elapsed wi hou exe cise o he powe o e - oca ion, he assen gi en would au oma ically become i m and no new mani es a ion o will—no e en a con i ma ion o he p e ious one—would be necessa y. Wi h ha i mness, he mani es a ion o will would acqui e—by i ue o he law— he ju idical condi ion o alid assen o adop , ha is assen ad adop ionem, and would open he doo o he possible cons i u ion o he adop ion. Mo eo e , his assen would no expi e. The public body and he judge would only need o consul he assen kep in he egis y. This is my p oposal de lege e enda: his p oposal would allow espec o he au onomy o he will o women who would no be dep i ed o hei capaci y o decide because hey a e in a s a e o ges a ion o ha e ecen ly gi en bi h, a o ing he ee de elopmen o hei pe sonali y and acili a ing hings a a di icul ime o hem, in a manne ha is cohe en wi h he es o he o de and he new social eali y. A he same ime, i would allow he in oduc ion o a p uden cau ion ha , gi en he complexi y o he si ua ion, could be o help, bo h by o e ing calm o hose making he decision and by acili a - ing, i necessa y, con o ma ion wi h he pe spec i e o he will. I could e en be said ha his op ion allows o g ea e pe spec i e, gi en ha he p oposed sys em would allow he ex ension o he e m gi en o conside he decision. 71. See O ganic Law 8/2015, o July 22, 2015, a . 2.3 c). 274 JOURNAL OF CIVIL LAW STUDIES [Vol. 13 The p oposal would no be de imen al o he child since he limi o he powe o e oca ion would be de e mined by he child’s in e es . The p oposal would also enable bi h pa en s o be placed on an equal oo ing wi h espec o each o he , by adap ing he sys em once again o he new social sensibili ies. The p oposal would sol e he p oblem, al eady denounced by he Special Commi ee o he Sena e ha s udied he adop ion,72 ha some imes causes he disappea ance o he mo he when she lea es he hospi al, be o e he deadline o he o gi e he assen o he adop ion has passed. The sys em would in no way cons i u e an adop ion o he nas- ci u us, inso a as he adop ion could only be cons i u ed om he momen he assen became inal. And, mo eo e , he cu en adop- ion p ocedu e is designed, as al eady s a ed, o i mly p e en any i egula p ac ice ela ed o child a icking o o he ac ions p ohib- i ed by law. I should be emembe ed, on he one hand, ha i is he esponsibili y o he public en i y o decla e he sui abili y and se- lec ion o he adop e s and ha , excep in he case o assessed cases, o an adop ion ile o be opened i mus be p oposed by he public en i y. And, on he o he hand, he adop ion is cons i u ed by judicial esolu ion wi h he gua an ees ha his implies. Finally, om a eleological poin o iew, he sys em would no con lic wi h he Eu opean Con en ion on Adop ion, gi en ha he mo he ’s assen would only be unde s ood o ha e been gi en, in he s ic o echnical sense, once he p e iously exp essed wish had be- come i m because he wo o h ee mon hs ollowing he bi h, ixed by law, had elapsed wi hou e oca ion. Only a ha ime, and no be o e (as i is subjec o e oca ion), would he will be said o ac- qui e he legal s a us o assen and be alid. In any case, i would be desi able ha in u u e e isions o he Eu opean Con en ion on 72. See In o me de la Comisión Especial de Es udio de la p oblemá ica de la adopción nacional y o os emas a ines, BOCG, Senado, IX legisla u a, Se ies I, No . 17, 2010, No. 545, a 9, 17, 20, 49, 53. 2020] ASSENT TO ADOPTION IN SPANISH LAW 275 Adop ion, he con en o a icle 5.5 be econside ed, in o de o adap i o he new eali ies and o a oid inapp op ia e limi a ions on he woman’s capaci y o decide. Un il his e ision o he Eu opean Con en ion on Adop ion is done, he p oposal may be ex apola ed, wi h he app op ia e adap- a ions, o he o he Eu opean legal sys ems men ioned abo e ha ha e a i ied he Con en ion and ha , ollowing he p o isions o he Con en ion, limi he au onomy o he will o women by se ing a minimum ime limi o gi ing assen o adop ion.