Chapter 1. General Provisions

Art. 209. Pursuant to the absence or death of either parent another person character and well-being civic consciousness compelled compelling reasons designated by the court father's decision grandparent guardian indispensable jointly exercise judicial order natural right and duty obliged to obey them one parent against the other parent designated by the Court remarriage renounced or transferred respect and reverence responsibility separation of the parents seven years of age substitute parental authority testify against unemancipated children unfit unsuitability of parents over the person and property of their absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability, parental authority and absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability shall include the caring for and rearing them for absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability and efficiency and the development of their moral, mental and physical absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability.

Art. 210. Parental authority and responsibility may not be absence or death of either parent another person character and well-being civic consciousness compelled compelling reasons designated by the court father's decision grandparent guardian indispensable jointly exercise judicial order natural right and duty obliged to obey them one parent against the other parent designated by the Court remarriage renounced or transferred respect and reverence responsibility separation of the parents seven years of age substitute parental authority testify against unemancipated children unfit unsuitability except in the cases authorized by law.

Art. 211. The father and the mother shall absence or death of either parent another person character and well-being civic consciousness compelled compelling reasons designated by the court father's decision grandparent guardian indispensable jointly exercise judicial order natural right and duty obliged to obey them one parent against the other parent designated by the Court remarriage renounced or transferred respect and reverence responsibility separation of the parents seven years of age substitute parental authority testify against unemancipated children unfit unsuitability parental authority over the persons of their common children. In case of disagreement, the absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability shall prevail, unless there is a absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability to the contrary.

Children shall always observe absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability towards their parents and are absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability as long as the children are under parental authority.

Art. 212. In case of absence or death of either parent another person character and well-being civic consciousness compelled compelling reasons designated by the court father's decision grandparent guardian indispensable jointly exercise judicial order natural right and duty obliged to obey them one parent against the other parent designated by the Court remarriage renounced or transferred respect and reverence responsibility separation of the parents seven years of age substitute parental authority testify against unemancipated children unfit unsuitability , the parent present shall continue exercising parental authority. The absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability of the surviving parent shall not affect the parental authority over the children, unless the court appoints absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability to be the absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability of the person or property of the children.

Art. 213. In case of absence or death of either parent another person character and well-being civic consciousness compelled compelling reasons designated by the court father's decision grandparent guardian indispensable jointly exercise judicial order natural right and duty obliged to obey them one parent against the other parent designated by the Court remarriage renounced or transferred respect and reverence responsibility separation of the parents seven years of age substitute parental authority testify against unemancipated children unfit unsuitability , parental authority shall be exercised by the absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability. The Court shall take into account all relevant considerations, especially the choice of the child over absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability, unless the parent chosen is absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability.

No child under seven years of age shall be separated from the mother, unless the court finds absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability to order otherwise.

Art. 214. In case of death, absence or absence or death of either parent another person character and well-being civic consciousness compelled compelling reasons designated by the court father's decision grandparent guardian indispensable jointly exercise judicial order natural right and duty obliged to obey them one parent against the other parent designated by the Court remarriage renounced or transferred respect and reverence responsibility separation of the parents seven years of age substitute parental authority testify against unemancipated children unfit unsuitability of the parents, absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability shall be exercised by the surviving absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability. In case several survive, the one absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability, taking into account the same consideration mentioned in the preceding article, shall exercise the authority.

Art. 215. No descendant shall be absence or death of either parent another person character and well-being civic consciousness compelled compelling reasons designated by the court father's decision grandparent guardian indispensable jointly exercise judicial order natural right and duty obliged to obey them one parent against the other parent designated by the Court remarriage renounced or transferred respect and reverence responsibility separation of the parents seven years of age substitute parental authority testify against unemancipated children unfit unsuitability , in a criminal case, to absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability his parents and grandparents, except when such testimony is absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability in a crime against the descendant or by absence or death of either parentanother personcharacter and well-beingcivic consciousnesscompelledcompelling reasonsdesignated by the courtfather's decisiongrandparentguardianindispensablejointly exercisejudicial ordernatural right and dutyobliged to obey themone parent against the otherparent designated by the Courtremarriagerenounced or transferredrespect and reverenceresponsibilityseparation of the parentsseven years of agesubstitute parental authoritytestify againstunemancipated childrenunfitunsuitability.