ENFORCEMENT IN FAMILY RELATIONS – THE HANDING OVER AND TAKING AWAY OF A CHILD, WITH EMPHASIS ON THE ROLE OF THE GUARDIANSHIP AUTHORITY

Dejan Bukazić; Milan Počuča

doi:10.5937/ptp2503001P

Authors

Dejan Bukazić University Business Academy in Novi Sad, Faculty of Law for Commerce and Judiciary in Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
Milan Počuča University Business Academy in Novi Sad, Faculty of Law for Commerce and Judiciary in Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5937/ptp2503001P

Keywords:

enforcement, children’s rights, guardianship authority, child custody, child support, Law on Enforcement and Securing of Claims, judicial practice

Abstract

The enforcement of court decisions in family matters is becoming increasingly important in the legal system of the Republic of Serbia, which is a direct consequence of the rise in divorces and the growing need to regulate parental relationships after the dissolution of marriage or extramarital unions. It is expected that these provisions of the Law on Enforcement and Securing of Claims will be applied more frequently in the future, which necessitates their detailed consideration and analysis. Special attention should be paid to the specific enforcement mechanisms used in these cases, as well as to the impact that the enforcement of court decisions has on the child, parents, and other family members. The best interests of the child must remain the key criterion in enforcement proceedings in family matters, especially in cases concerning child custody, the regulation of personal contact with parents, and child support. Although the Law on Enforcement and Securing of Claims has specifically regulated this area, numerous dilemmas arise in practice, especially regarding the relationship between the court and the guardianship authority. The specificity of this procedure lies in the fact that, in certain situations, the court becomes an auxiliary body to the guardianship authority, even though its traditional role is the opposite — to make decisions that administrative bodies implement. This legal solution raises certain practical concerns and requires further consideration. This paper aims to analyze the legal framework for enforcement in family relations through the provisions of Articles 368–381 of the Law on Enforcement and Securing of Claims, with a critical review of the challenges in their application. Through the analysis of judicial practice and a comparison with potential alternative enforcement models, the paper highlights possible directions for improving the system to ensure greater legal certainty, protection of the child’s rights, and efficiency of the enforcement procedure.

References

Đikanović, M. (2020). Osnovne crte filozofije ljudskih prava [Basic features of the philosophy of human rights]. Glasnik Advokatske komore Vojvodine, 92(4), pp. 612–642

Jakšić A. (2022). Građansko procesno pravo [Civil procedural law]. Beograd: Pravni fakultet, Centar za izdavaštvo i informisanje

Jović, O. (2012). Pravo deteta na kontakt sa roditeljem sa kojim ne živi [Child’s Right to Contact with the Parent with whom They Do Not Live]. In: Marković, G. (prir.), Prava djeteta i ravnopravnost polova – između normativnog i stvarnog – zbornik radova [Children’s rights and gender equality – between normative and real – collection of papers] (pp. 102–115). Pale – Istočno Sarajevo: Pravni fakultet Univerziteta u Istočnom Sarajevu

Lazarević, D. (2011). Komentar Zakona o izvršenju i obezbeđenju [Commentary on the Law on Execution and Security]. Beograd: Poslovni biro d.o.o.

Milovanović, M. (2023). Podruštvljavanje porodice [Family socialization]. Branič, 136(1), pp. 104–109

Ministarstvo rada i socijalne politike (2009). Instrukcija o načinu rada organa starateljstva, odnosno psihologa u postupku izvršenja odluka iz oblasti porodičnog prava – predaja i oduzimanje deteta [Instruction on the working method of guardianship authorities, i.e. psychologists in the procedure of execution of decisions in the field of family law – handing over and confiscation of a child]. broj 570-01-00129/2009-14 od 13.03.2009. godine

Nikolić, M. (2016). Izvršenje sudskih odluka radi ostvarivanja nenovčanog potraživanja iz oblasti porodičnih odnosa i vraćanja na rad [Enforcement of court decisions in order to realize non-monetary claims in the field of family relations and return to work]. Bilten Vrhovnog kasacionog suda, (3), pp. 95–110

Nikolić, M.. & Šarkić, N. (2022). Komentar Zakona o izvršenju i obezbeđenju [Commentary on the Law on Execution and Security]. Beograd: JP Službeni gčasnik i Pravni fakultet Univerziteta Union

Počuča M. (2018). Izvršenje odluka u porodičnim stvarima [Enforcement of decisions in family matters]. In: Šarkić, N., Bodiroga, N., & Lukinović, M. (eds.), Četrdeset godina izvršnog zakonodavstva u građanskim postupcima [Forty years of executive legislation in civil proceedings] (pp. 269–279). Beograd: Pravni fakultet Unierziteta Union i Službeni glasnik

Počuča, M. & Šarkić, N. (2019). Porodično pravo i porodičnopravna zaštita [Family law and family law protection]. Beograd: Službeni glasnik i Pravni fakultet Univerziteta Union

Porodični zakon [Family law]. Službeni glasnik RS, br. 18/05, 72/11 – dr. zakon, 6/15

Rajić, M. & Mirić, F. (2023). Oduzimanje i predaja deteta u Republici Srbiji sa osvrtom na austrijsko zakonodavstvo [Seizure and surrender of a child in the Republic of Serbia with reference to Austrian legislation]. CIVITAS, 13(2), pp. 224–247

Stanković, G. (2013). Procesni položaj centra za socijalni rad kao organa starateljstva u građanskom sudskom postupku [Procedural position of the center for social work as a guardianship body in civil court proceedings]. In: Procesni položaj centara za socijalni rad kao organa starateljstva pred sudovima [Procedural position of centers for social work as guardianship bodies before the courts]. Divčibare: Asocijacija Centara za socijalni rad, CSR Srbije i Ministarstvo rada, zapošljavanja i socijalne politike. Downloaded 2025, May 10 from https://www.asocijacijacsr.org/wpcontent/uploads/2022/06/prof_dr_gordana_stankovic.pdf

Stanković, G., & Trgovčević Prokić, M. (2020). Postupak izvršenja i postupak obezbeđenja u Republici Srbiji [Execution procedure and security procedure in the Republic of Serbia]. Beograd: JP Službeni glasnik

Stanković, G., Palčaković, D., & Trešnjev, A. (2018). Komentar Zakona o izvršenju i obezbeđenju [Commentary on the Law on Execution and Security]. Beograd: JP Službeni glasnik

Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia. Search “Divorce”. Downloaded 2025, May 10 from https://www.stat.gov.rs/sr-Cyrl/search?q=%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B7%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B4

Šarkić, N., & Počuča, M. (2020). Ovlašćenja organa starateljstva prema izmenama i dopunama Zakona o izvršenju i obezbeđenju (2019) [Powers of guardianship authorities according to amendments to the Law on Enforcement and Security (2019)]. Pravo – teorija i praksa, 37(1), pp. 21–33. DOI: 10.5937/ptp2001021S

Šarkić, N., Radulović, D., & Počuča, M. (2019). Posebni građanski postupci [Special civil proceedings]. Beograd: JP Službeni gčasnik i Pravni fakultet Univerziteta Union

Ustav Republike Srbije [Constitution of the Republic of Serbia]. Službeni glasnik RS, br. 98/06 i 115/21

Vavan, Z. (2019). Izvršenje sudskih odluka iz odnosa roditelja i dece - doktorska disertacija [Enforcement of court decisions in the relationship between parents and children - doctoral thesis]. Beograd: Pravni fakultet Univerziteta Union u Beogradu

Vujović, R. (2019). Lišenje roditeljskog prava [Deprivation of parental rights]. Beograd: Službeni glasnik

Vujović, R. (2018). Položaj i ovlašćenja organa starateljstva u izvršnom postupku [The position and powers of the guardianship authority in the enforcement procedure]. In: Šarkić, N., Bodiroga, N., & Lukinović, M. (prir.), Četrdeset godina izvršnog zakonodavstva u građanskim postupcima [Forty years of executive legislation in civil proceedings] (pp. 231–249). Beograd: Službeni glasnik i Pravni fakultet Univerziteta Union

Zakon o izvršenju i obezbeđenju [Law on Enforcement and Securing of Claims]. Službeni glasnik RS, br. 106/15, 106/16 – aut. tumačenje, 113/17 – aut. tumačenje, 54/19, 9/20 – aut. tumačenje i 10/23 – dr. Zakon.