Family Law, Estate Planning & Child Protection
Compassionate counsel, certified mediation, and uncompromising legal rigor to protect family wellbeing, prenuptial agreements, and cross-border estates.
Recognized Authority in Family Protection & Cross-Border Law
Our Family Law and Minors practice is spearheaded by founding partner Elizabeth Fraguela-Ruíz, graduate from the prestigious Universidad Complutense de Madrid in 1985 and certified legal mediator.
Her distinguished career has led her to serve on legislative reform committees in Panama and collaborate for over a decade with The National Center for Missing and Exploited Minors in Washington, D.C., and The Center of Missing Minors in San José, Costa Rica.
We prioritize mediation and structured consensus to preserve family harmony and avoid protracted, adversarial court battles.
Practice Highlights
- Prenuptial and postnuptial property agreements
- Divorce: mutual consent and contested representation
- Matrimonial property regime dissolution & liquidation
- Child custody, child support, and visitation schedules
- Panama probate administration for foreign decedents
- International travel and passport permits for minors
Family & Estate Planning Areas
Confidential legal counsel ensuring family asset longevity and cross-border protection.
Prenuptial Agreements & Asset Separation
Drafting tailored prenuptial contracts under public deed to shield family businesses, ancestral inheritances, and real estate assets prior to and during marriage.
Successions, Wills & Estate Probate
Representing foreign executors and heirs in Panamanian probate courts, as well as preemptive estate structuring using open wills and Private Interest Foundations.
Family Mediation & Amicable Dissolution
Certified mediation by the Ministry of Government and Justice to resolve complex divorce settlements, child support schedules, and marital asset liquidations without contentious courtroom exposure.
International Child Custody & Protection
Deep specialization in international child reintegration under the Hague Convention, cross-border parental travel authorizations, and legal custody disputes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Clear answers on sensitive domestic and succession matters.
01.Are prenuptial agreements recognized and enforceable under Panamanian law?
Yes. Prenuptial agreements (capitulaciones matrimoniales) are fully enforceable when executed through a formal public deed and recorded in the Civil Registry either prior to or during the marriage. They permit couples to opt for total separation of property or a tailored matrimonial financial regime, shielding pre-existing family and business assets.
02.How is an estate probated in Panama if the deceased was a foreign national?
Real estate and bank accounts located on Panamanian soil are strictly governed by Panamanian law. Unless preemptively structured via a Private Interest Foundation or trust, heirs must petition the Civil Circuit Courts of Panama through formal probate proceedings (testate or intestate). FRH Law represents international heirs and executors throughout this process.
03.What is the firm’s experience with cross-border child custody and the Hague Convention?
Partner Elizabeth Fraguela-Ruíz has extensive, internationally recognized experience in the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, having collaborated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Panamanian State, and international advocacy groups in Washington D.C. to secure the safe and lawful return of minors.
Consult with Our Family Law Specialist
Schedule a private and privileged discussion with partner Elizabeth Fraguela-Ruíz.
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