The ultimate Court ruled that a concubine union, in which a female ran a home for years, raised children and supported her partner at work, could be settled like a marriage.
The man was the sole owner of the estate, so after the breakup, the female was left with nothing.
The court granted her half of the assets, recognizing her contribution to the creation of the common good, and the man's cassation was rejected.
The judgement was based on rules on unwarranted enrichment and undue benefit, indicating that women's actions were carried out with a view to household life.
The ruling is groundbreaking – it gives people surviving in informal relationships the chance to claim property claims for their contribution to the family, even if there is formally no wealth community.
