How we can help
Family law matters are among the most personal and emotionally charged legal proceedings a person can face. Whether you are ending a marriage, fighting for your children, or protecting a family member from abuse, having experienced counsel at your side makes a decisive difference.
Vivas & Nobles handles the full range of family law matters — with discretion, skill, and genuine care for every client and family we represent.
Ending a marriage? Start with our guide to annulment and declaration of nullity in the Philippines — the two remedies, psychological incapacity after Tan-Andal, and an honest look at the timeline and cost.
Annulment & Declaration of Nullity
Expert guidance through the complex process of nullifying marriages under Philippine law, handling psychological incapacity and other valid grounds with utmost confidentiality.
Recognition of Foreign Judgment
Assistance in legally recognizing foreign divorce decrees in the Philippines, allowing Filipino citizens to remarry and update their civil status.
Legal Separation
Professional representation for couples seeking legal separation, addressing the division of properties and living arrangements without severing the marriage bond.
Custody & Support
Dedicated advocacy to secure fair child custody arrangements and appropriate financial support, always prioritizing the best interests of the children.
VAWC (Violence Against Women and Children)
Urgent and sensitive legal protection for victims of abuse, including securing protection orders and pursuing necessary legal actions against offenders.
Adoption
Navigating the legal requirements of domestic and inter-country adoption to help families grow and ensure the legal rights of the adopted child.
Which remedy fits your situation
Family cases turn on choosing the right remedy. A marriage that was void or defective from the start is ended by a declaration of nullity or annulment; a valid marriage you no longer wish to live under, without dissolving it, is legal separation; and a divorce obtained abroad by or against a foreign spouse is given effect here through recognition of a foreign divorce — including divorces obtained in Japan, the United States, South Korea, Australia, Canada, and the UAE, for which we keep dedicated country guides. The Philippines has no general divorce law, so naming the correct petition is the first decision in every case.
When children are involved
Custody and support are decided by the best interest of the child. A child under seven is generally not separated from the mother absent a compelling reason, and support is set in proportion to the giver's means and the child's needs and can be adjusted as either changes. These issues can be raised on their own, without waiting for an annulment to conclude.
Estimate the cost first
If you are considering annulment, our annulment cost calculator breaks the total into its real components before you speak to anyone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between annulment and legal separation?
Annulment or declaration of nullity ends the marriage and restores the capacity to remarry once the decision is registered. Legal separation does not end the marriage; it lets the spouses live apart and separates their property, but neither may remarry. They are different remedies with different grounds and different effects.
How do courts decide child custody in the Philippines?
By the best interest of the child. A child below seven years of age is generally not separated from the mother unless there is a compelling reason such as neglect or abuse. For older children, courts weigh each parent's capacity to provide care, stability, and moral guidance.
How much child support must a parent pay?
There is no fixed figure. Support is set in proportion to the resources of the person obliged to give it and the needs of the child, and it may be increased or reduced as either of those changes. It covers sustenance, education, clothing, medical care, and shelter.
Can I remarry after getting a divorce abroad?
Only after a Philippine court recognizes the foreign divorce. A decree obtained abroad does not automatically change your civil status here; you must file a petition for recognition of the foreign judgment, and only the registered court order lets you remarry.
Does the Philippines have divorce?
No general divorce law applies to most Filipinos. The remedies are declaration of nullity and annulment, with recognition of a foreign divorce available where one spouse is a foreign national, and separate rules for Muslim Filipinos under the Code of Muslim Personal Laws.