Dominican Republic Senate reviews inheritance law reform

The Dominican Republic Senate is reviewing a bill to reform inheritance laws, aiming to grant spouses or consensual partners the same share of an estate as children or direct relatives.

The initiative, presented by Senate President Ricardo de los Santos, seeks to amend the Civil Code following a 2023 ruling by the Constitutional Court. The Court declared the previous wording of Article 767 unconstitutional, stating it violated human dignity and constitutional family protections.

Under the proposed law, assets would be distributed equally among children, parents, and the spouse or consensual partner. Additionally, if the deceased leaves no descendants or surviving parents, the entirety of the estate would belong to the surviving spouse or partner.