Family Courts in Sant Boi de Llobregat: Procedures, Legal Steps and Local Support
In Sant Boi de Llobregat, family law matters such as divorce, custody, and child support are handled by the Courts of First Instance and Instruction, located at Carrer Carles Martí i Vilá, 2-4, 08830 Sant Boi de Llobregat. This building houses both the Citizen Service Office and the Civil Registry, centralizing the management of civil and family proceedings for residents of Sant Boi and surrounding towns.
The judicial district of Sant Boi de Llobregat also covers municipalities like Sant Climent de Llobregat, Santa Coloma de Cervelló, and Torrelles de Llobregat. Therefore, any separation, divorce, modification of measures, custody, or child support proceedings must be filed in these courts. The availability of local courts streamlines the process and monitoring of cases, avoiding the need to travel to Barcelona city.
Types of Divorce in Sant Boi de Llobregat: Realistic Timeframes and Costs
As elsewhere in Spain, there are two main types of divorce in Sant Boi de Llobregat:
- Mutual consent divorce: Both parties agree on the regulatory agreement. The usual processing time is 2 to 3 months from the filing of the petition to the final judgment.
- Contentious divorce: This occurs when there is no agreement between the parties. The process is longer and typically takes between 6 and 12 months, depending on the court’s workload and the complexity of the case.
The average estimated cost for a mutual consent divorce in Sant Boi ranges from €600 to €1,200 when a single lawyer represents both spouses. For contentious divorce, costs are usually higher, often exceeding €2,000 due to individual legal representation and the extended duration. These amounts include drafting and filing the petition, preparing the regulatory agreement, court appearances, and procedural steps, but do not include potential expert reports, which must be paid separately and are conducted by independent medical experts.
The regulatory agreement is essential in mutual consent divorces and must cover issues such as allocation of the family home, custody arrangements, child support, visitation schedules, division of marital assets, and other personal or financial matters.
Child Support and Custody: Criteria, Figures, and Standard Visitation
Child support for minors is determined in accordance with articles 142 and following of the Spanish Civil Code, considering:
- The income and resources of both parents.
- The ordinary and extraordinary needs of the children (food, clothing, education, healthcare, leisure, etc.).
- The amount of time spent with each parent, especially in shared custody cases.
In practice, the average child support in Spain ranges from €150 to €400 per month per child, although the courts in Sant Boi assess each case individually and may set different amounts based on the family’s specific circumstances.
Regarding custody, the courts in Sant Boi apply the doctrine of the Supreme Court and Catalan law, which prioritize the best interests of the child. Shared custody is increasingly common, unless circumstances advise against it (Article 233-10 of the Catalan Civil Code). In cases of sole custody, the non-custodial parent is typically granted standard visitation: alternate weekends, half of school holidays, and certain public holidays.
Our Approach: Mediation, Negotiation and Local Support in Sant Boi de Llobregat
We offer in-person consultations at our office in Sant Boi de Llobregat as well as online appointments, adapting to your needs and schedule. In many cases, we propose family mediation and out-of-court negotiation to avoid lengthy litigation and achieve sustainable agreements, always within the applicable legal framework.
The no-obligation initial consultation allows us to analyze your situation and guide you on the next steps with complete transparency. Our firm is familiar with the workings of the Sant Boi courts and the local reality, facilitating close monitoring of your case and direct communication with judicial institutions and the Civil Registry of the city.
If you need to file a petition, modify measures, or resolve issues of custody, child support, or visitation, we advise you and defend your rights at all times, with the utmost professionalism and confidentiality.
