The Supreme Court has ruled through a groundbreaking decision on the obligation of grandparents to pay for the food, clothing, education, and other basic needs of their grandchildren when the parents lack the means.

For the first time, it has condemned both the maternal and paternal grandparents of a minor to pay for her maintenance in the face of the parents' insolvency, prioritizing the child's best interest and clarifying that the compulsory assistance from grandparents must be established "with strict respect for the principle of proportionality," meaning that their situation and economic resources must be taken into account.


Grandparents are obliged to cover the expenses incurred by their grandchildren, in the event of the parents' insolvency, in accordance with Article 142 of the Civil Code, although it exempts grandparents from the obligation to pay for so-called extraordinary expenses of the grandchildren such as music lessons and academic support.


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