FAMILY LAW AND NEW FAMILY REALITIES

Course objectives

The goal of the course is it, to cover the main institutions of the Italian family law, in order to give the necessary knowledge and the adequate instruments also to “non – law” students. Specific objective Dublin 1: at the end of the course the student knows the main family law institutes, the main jurisprudential orientations, the theories of the most recent doctrine and the main debates, above all in the subject matter of recent legislative interventions. Specific objective Dublin 2: upon completion of the course the student is able to apply the acquired knowledge in a competent and reflective way; it can support legal arguments and is able to solve problems typical of the subject dealt with. Specific objective Dublin 3: upon completion of the course the student is able to carry out comprehensive reflections on topics of family law pertaining to social reality, to independently develop judgments on issues that involve ethical evaluations, as in the case of maternity techniques surrogate or homosexual cohabitation. Specific objective Dublin 4: upon completion of the course the student is able to express the concepts learned, also communicating to non-legal practitioners the conclusions to which he / she has reached by applying the concepts learned in the course. Specific objective Dublin 5: upon completion of the course the student is able to continue in a specialized higher level learning, having acquired a solid foundation for the preparation and processing of the legal material.

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CRISTINA CARICATO Lecturers' profile

Program - Frequency - Exams

Course program
The course covers the main institutes of family law and of persons and in particular, by way of example: natural persons, rights of the personality, bodies, disappearance, absence, presumed death, civil status records marriage, celebration, conditions and impediments, promise of marriage, putative marriage, civil marriage, concordant, non-religious cults, alien, annulment, personal relations between spouses, patrimonial relations (family patrimonial regimes, family business, family pact), de facto family, homosexual cohabitation, filiation, separation, divorce, short divorce, assisted negotiation, custody of children, adoption, voluntary termination of pregnancy, medically assisted procreation, state actions, food, civil liability in family relationships. The course takes place in the first semester. No knowledge is required at the beginning of the teaching activity.
Prerequisites
There is no prerequisite. Attending the lessons is highly recommended, but not compulsory.
Books
Alternatively, students are required to study one of the following texts of their choice: C.M. Bianca, The Family, Giuffré, latest edition or T. Auletta, Family Law, Giappichelli, latest edition or M. Sesta, Family Law, Cedam, latest edition or G. Bonilini, Family Law, Utet, latest edition or S. Patti (ed.), The New Family Law, Giappichelli, 2025 Additionally, students are required to study C. Caricato, The Family between Law, Agreement and Fact, Pacini, 2025, currently being published. Consultation of a civil code updated to 2025 is recommended.
Frequency
Attending lessons is not mandatory, but is recommended.
Exam mode
The ongoing evaluation tends to exempt you from the obligation to study a part of the program. That part will not be the subject of the final test. The result is exempt / not exempt. It does not affect the final grade. The test takes place in oral form. Typically, three questions are asked, the first more general, the second more specific and a very specific third, in order to verify the student's ability to process the legal material and the knowledge learned. An intermediate written test for attending students is possible to evaluate the ability to learn and apply the acquired knowledge and the critical elaboration of the doctrinal and jurisprudential material. It consists of two open-ended questions on a part of the program. For evaluation purposes, the following parameters are taken into account: the frequency active participation the ability to reason and study autonomously.
Lesson mode
Learning is mainly done through lectures and simultaneous remote connection (the link will be provided near the start of the lessons). In the second part of the course, exercises are planned, in order to apply the techniques of elaboration of the legal material, especially of the jurisprudence through the use of specialized databases. It is also possible to attend seminars on specialized topics, in order to acquire skills on issues of particular ethical and social importance. Well-known professors, legal practitioners also take part in the course. Specific lessons are planned to deepen comparative profiles).
  • Lesson code10600029
  • Academic year2025/2026
  • CoursePolitical science and international relations
  • CurriculumSingle curriculum
  • Year3rd year
  • Semester1st semester
  • SSDIUS/01
  • CFU6