The German maintenance procedure

Abstract

This article reviews the German book on the maintenance law Unterhaltsprozess (Eschenbruch, Wolters Kluwer 2021). The author searches for the multidimensionality of maintenance, both in the national and international dimension, and the assessment takes into account the interdisciplinary and the cross-border nature of this issue, which combines family law with public, social, procedural, tax, European, and private international law. Within this framework, the scope and structure of the monograph is discussed, which is not limited to presenting the current legal regulation, but also documents the evolution of the maintenance law, sets new directions for development, and includes proposals for legislative changes. The author indicates features that distinguish the reviewed monograph from other studies available on the market, emphasizing the exceptionally broad analysis of the jurisprudence of courts of appeal. The issues related to joint custody, post-marital maintenance, social benefits, the legal position of the biological father, and cross-border maintenance, were subject to a broader analysis and assessment. From the comparative legal perspective, however, attention is drawn to the modest references to foreign law, which call for further expansion and systematization. The monograph is assessed both in terms of research and practice. Particular attention is paid to the possibility of using German regulations and experience in the Polish legal system.