A responsabilidade dos pais pelos atos dos filhos menores

Abstract

This study investigates parents responsibility in case of a tort committed by their minor child. Under Article 932, I, of the current Brazilian Civil Code, parents are liable for the acts of their children who are under their authority and in their company. In this paper, an attempt is made to clarify the concepts paternity, authority and company in order to better understand the scope of the rule. The authority over the children and victim s guarantee will be presented as main parents responsibility to repair the damage caused by their kids. The study also seeks a new approach to define family power, taking into account the recent change of family definition. The authority of other people related to the child, such as grandparents or stepparents, brings some concerns about who has responsibilities over the minors, mainly related to the obligations of damage repair. Considering civil responsibility, it is important to compensate the victim for damages suffered. Being able to take part of the patrimony of any person responsible for the kid seems like a guarantee offered to the injured. The same value has been given to the lawbreaker, considering his patrimonial and no patrimonial goods. The study also reexamines the concept of the tort when committed by a minor. Starting from the idea of capacity, it reconsiders how the tort committed by a child must be analyzed. Adherence to constitutional principles in the best interests of the child or adolescent, as well as human dignity, solidarity, equality and responsible parenthood must all be used as guidelines for understanding the whole topic.