L'efficacia civile delle sentenze ecclesiastiche contumaciali in materia matrimoniale nell'ordinamento spagnolo : spunti microcomparativi

Interpreting the «Agreement on Legal Affairs» between Spain and the Holy See in the light of the constitutional principles of freedom and State secularity, the case law of the Spanish Supreme Court does not recognize civil effects to the decisions of ecclesiastical courts that declare canonical marriages null and void when those decisions have been rendered in default of one of the parties, even when the default has been voluntary. This paper analyses the possible relevance of this case law for the Italian legal system --in which recognition of civil effects to the decisions of ecclesiastical courts is also possible-- in the light of the recent Italian and European case law.