Contractual Regulation of Relations between Spouses under Foreign and Domestic Legislation: Genesis, Transformation and Development Prospects

The paper provides for the analysis of prototypes of nuptial agreements widely used in ancient Rome in the form of three agreements concluded by the families of the newlyweds or between the bride and groom: an engagement and marriage celebration agreement, an agreement concerning the dowry provided by the bride's family and a wedding gift granted by the husband. The three agreements collectively covered the most important aspects of the property relations between the future spouses, established their authority and powers concerning their belongings both in marriage and in the event of its termination. Much attention is paid to the analysis of pre-revolutionary domestic legislation that consistently carried out the principle of separation of marriage property, whereas the dowry and agreements regarding its use were largely determined by customs established in a separate social stratum. The law-maker did not provide for the right of spouses to determine their property rights in the agreement. However, such agreements were not prohibited. There was almost no need for regulation through nuptial agreements, because it could entail restrictions of ownership of one of the spouses in the property owned by the spouse. The author examines provisions of the Soviet legislation that excluded the possibility of determination by spouses of their property rights through nuptial agreements, which often led to negative consequences. The paper enumerates the factors that have led to the necessity to consolidate legal regulation of relationships under consideration using nuptial agreements. The paper describes the advantages of the nuptial agreement and the circumstances leading to the expansion of the scope of its application. Also, the paper analyzes amendments to the Family Code of the Russian Federation and provides proposals to consolidate the right to regulate property relations arising between citizens engaged in informal family unions using nuptial agreements.

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