We handle family law matters in Kyiv and remotely across Ukraine. Main areas: child support enforcement, determination of child residence, termination of parental rights, establishment and contestation of paternity. Practice since 1992, hundreds of completed cases.
Each of these decisions affects the real lives of children and parents: where the child lives, who pays child support and how much, whether the father will have access to his son or daughter. Verbal agreements offer no protection. A court order or notarial agreement does.
We handle cases in person in Kyiv and remotely throughout Ukraine. Clients abroad do not need to travel: the engagement agreement is signed online, and the attorney represents you in court on the basis of the contract and an attorney's warrant. A notarised power of attorney is not required for court representation.
Quick Facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation | from UAH 1,000 (applied to the total fee if work proceeds) |
| Statement of claim | from UAH 2,500 |
| First-instance court hearing | from UAH 3,000 per hearing |
| Appeal | from UAH 4,000 |
| Appellate court hearing | from UAH 5,000 per hearing |
| Court fee | from UAH 1,331.20 for non-pecuniary claims (2026 rate); claimants in child support cases are exempt from the court fee; verify before filing |
| Coverage | Kyiv and remotely across Ukraine and from abroad |
| Experience | since 1992, hundreds of cases |
Describe your situation: we will assess the prospects and quote a fee.
Practice Areas
We handle all major categories of family disputes. Cards are listed by frequency of enquiry.
Termination of Parental Rights
The most severe child protection measure. Grounds include: failure to fulfil parental duties, cruel treatment, chronic alcoholism or drug addiction, conviction for an intentional criminal offence against the child, abandonment of the child in a healthcare facility without parental care. Mandatory involvement of the guardianship authority. For details on the procedure, see below.
Fee assessed individually after case review
Child Support Enforcement
Filing a claim or application for a court order. Calculation of the support amount based on the payer's income. Recovery of arrears for past periods. Enforcement through the state or private enforcement service.
From UAH 5,000 (package to first-instance decision)
Determination of Child Residence
Court determination of which parent the child will live with after separation or divorce. Gathering evidence: living conditions, employment, the child's own attachment. Guardianship authority involvement is mandatory.
From UAH 5,000
Contact Arrangements
Establishing a schedule for the non-resident parent's contact with the child: days, duration, conditions. Protection against unlawful restriction of access to the child.
Fee assessed individually after case review
Increase or Reduction of Child Support
Review of the child support amount upon changes in the financial position of either party: increase in payer's income, changes in the child's needs, new circumstances. Protection against unjustified reductions.
Fee assessed individually after case review
Establishment of Paternity
Court establishment of paternity on a voluntary or contested basis. DNA testing as evidence. Consequences for child support and inheritance rights.
Fee assessed individually after case review
Contestation of Paternity
Removal of the father's or mother's entry in the child's birth record. Establishing the absence of a biological link. Protection against unwarranted child support claims.
Fee assessed individually after case review
Reinstatement of Parental Rights
Restoration of parental rights after the grounds for termination have been remedied: demonstrating changes in lifestyle, providing adequate conditions for the child. The court takes the child's opinion into account.
Fee assessed individually after case review
Termination of Parental Rights: Grounds, Evidence and Consequences
Termination of parental rights is the most severe measure under Ukrainian family law. Courts apply it only when it is proved that maintaining parental rights is contrary to the interests of the child. In a number of cases a more realistic strategy exists: determining where the child will live, restricting contact, or removing the child without terminating parental rights. But when the grounds exist and the evidence is compelling, the court will rule accordingly.
Grounds for Termination of Parental Rights (Art. 164 of the Family Code of Ukraine)
A court may terminate parental rights if at least one of the following grounds is established:
- failure to fulfil parental duties, including failure to provide the child with safe living conditions, healthcare and full secondary education;
- cruel treatment of the child;
- chronic alcoholism or drug addiction;
- conviction for an intentional criminal offence against the child;
- leaving the child in a maternity hospital or other healthcare facility without good reason and failing to show parental care for six months;
- exploitation of the child, including forcing the child into begging or vagrancy.
Who May Bring a Claim
The following persons have the right to bring a claim for termination of parental rights: one of the parents, a guardian or trustee, a person in whose family the child resides, a healthcare or educational institution, the guardianship authority, or the public prosecutor. A child who has reached the age of 14 may also initiate such proceedings.
Is Non-Payment of Child Support Sufficient
No. Non-payment of child support is a serious breach, but rarely leads to termination of parental rights on its own. The court assesses the full body of evidence: whether the parent is involved in the child's life, whether they communicate with the child, and whether the failure to fulfil parental duties is systematic. If the claimant proves only the existence of arrears but not overall indifference to the child, the court will most likely refuse termination and propose alternative protective measures.
Key Evidence
- inspection reports on the child's living conditions;
- opinion of the guardianship authority;
- certificates confirming non-payment of child support and the total amount of arrears;
- medical records (where there are signs of cruel treatment or addiction);
- police reports or criminal convictions (where the case involves a criminal offence);
- testimony of witnesses, neighbours, teachers, or doctors.
Role of the Guardianship Authority and the Public Prosecutor
The involvement of the guardianship authority is mandatory: the court will not hear the claim without its opinion. The public prosecutor is engaged in cases where the child has no legal representative, or where independent oversight of the child's rights is required. The guardianship authority's opinion is advisory: the court is not bound by it.
Alternatives to Termination
Where grounds for termination are insufficient but protection of the child is necessary, the court may: determine that the child will reside with the other parent, restrict or revoke contact arrangements, or order removal of the child without termination of parental rights (Art. 170 of the Family Code of Ukraine). The attorney assesses the circumstances and recommends the most effective strategy at the initial consultation.
Consequences of Termination of Parental Rights
A parent whose parental rights have been terminated loses all personal non-property rights in respect of the child: the right to raise the child, the right to contact, the right to receive maintenance from the child in old age, and the right to inherit from the child by operation of law. However, the obligation to support the child and pay child support remains in full. Termination of parental rights does not extinguish financial obligations.
What the Attorney Does in Your Case
A family dispute is a conflict in which the other party knows a great deal about you and is often prepared to use it against you. The attorney builds a position that will withstand that pressure in court.
1. Assessment of Documents and Prospects
At the consultation we analyse the situation: available documents, the other party's likely position, and the probable position of the child welfare authority (in cases involving children). We determine whether there are grounds for a claim and whether mediation or a notarial agreement should be attempted first. Fee: from UAH 1,000 (applied to the total if work proceeds).
2. Preparation of the Claim and Evidence
We draft the statement of claim with full reasoning, the child support calculation, or a description of the circumstances relating to the child. We prepare evidence: character references, income certificates, living conditions inspection reports, correspondence, and witness statements. Fee: from UAH 2,500.
3. Guardianship Authority
In disputes over child residence, parental rights, and contact arrangements, the guardianship authority's involvement is mandatory by law. We coordinate with the guardianship authority, prepare the client for the home inspection, and work through likely questions in advance.
4. Court Representation
The attorney represents your interests at every hearing. The client need not attend. Where necessary, participation takes place by video link. Fee: from UAH 3,000 per hearing.
5. Appeal
If the decision is unsatisfactory or the other party appeals: we prepare the appeal or response and represent your interests in the court of appeal. Fee: appeal from UAH 4,000, hearing from UAH 5,000.
6. Enforcement
A court order for child support is the basis for opening enforcement proceedings. In case of non-payment: compulsory recovery through the enforcement service, tracing of concealed income, freezing of bank accounts, travel restrictions. Where arrears exist, a separate claim for penalty interest on overdue child support is possible.
Questions That Determine the Outcome
When a Family Dispute Can Be Resolved Without Court
Child support can be established by notarial agreement if both parents agree on the amount and payment terms. Child residence and contact arrangements can also be recorded in a notarial agreement. This is faster and less costly than litigation. But if the other party ignores agreed terms, breaches the agreement, or refuses any negotiation, court proceedings become unavoidable.
Court Order or Claim for Child Support: What Is the Difference
A court order is a simplified procedure: the court issues the document within 10 working days without a hearing or summons of the parties. A court order is available if the claim meets the conditions of the Code of Civil Procedure of Ukraine: paternity is established, the claim is not connected with contesting or establishing paternity, no other interested parties need to be joined, and the child support amount is claimed as the statutory share of income.
Full claim proceedings are required if the parties dispute the amount or form of child support, a fixed sum is sought, paternity is being simultaneously resolved, or arrears for a past period are being claimed. Arrears for past periods may be awarded for no more than three years prior to the date of the claim (Art. 191 of the Family Code of Ukraine).
How Child Support Is Calculated in Ukraine
The court may award child support in two forms. First: as a share of income (1/4 for one child, 1/3 for two children, 1/2 for three or more). Second: as a fixed sum. A fixed sum applies where the payer's income is unstable, concealed, or where the proportionate share would fall below the subsistence minimum for a child of the relevant age. The minimum child support award cannot be less than 50 percent of the subsistence minimum for a child of the relevant age.
What the Court Considers When Determining Child Residence
The court assesses: each parent's attitude to parental duties, the child's personal attachment to each parent (the child's opinion is taken into account from age 10; from age 14 the child determines their own place of residence), the child's age and health, living conditions, each parent's employment, and the presence of other children in a new family. The guardianship authority's opinion is significant but not binding on the court.
Common Mistakes That Complicate the Case
Agreements without written confirmation: a year later the other party denies everything promised verbally. Unilaterally relocating the child without a court order violates the other parent's rights and is viewed negatively by the court. Withholding child support due to a conflict with the other parent: child support is the child's right, not the parent's, and non-payment accumulates as arrears. Discussing the case publicly on social media: screenshots may become evidence in court.
What to Do If the Other Parent Obstructs Contact with the Child
If there is a court order on contact: apply to the enforcement service. If no order exists: file a claim. In cases of systematic obstruction, the court may review the child's place of residence. Record every incident of obstruction: date, time, circumstances, witnesses or correspondence.
When You May Not Need a Lawyer
If both parents agree and are ready to sign a notarial agreement on child support or child residence, legal assistance may be limited to a consultation and review of the draft agreement. We say this openly at the first meeting.
A lawyer is needed when there is a court dispute, the other party contests the claim, parental rights are at issue, there is a risk of unlawful removal of the child abroad, or the dispute covers several connected issues (divorce, child support, child residence, and property division simultaneously).
Why Yurinkom
Attorney Igor Balaban has handled family cases since 1992. Thirty-four years of practice, hundreds of cases in Kyiv courts and across Ukraine. The attorney is registered in the Unified Register of Attorneys of Ukraine (NAAU).
The firm does not guarantee outcomes: family proceedings depend on evidence, the position of the guardianship authority, and the conduct of the other party. An honest assessment of prospects is given at the consultation before any work begins.
Office in Kyiv. Appointments in person and remotely. Clients from across Ukraine and from abroad.
Case Study
The following case of attorney Igor Balaban is from the publicly accessible Unified State Register of Court Decisions of Ukraine. Data have been anonymised in accordance with legal requirements. The outcome of a past case is not a guarantee of the same result in a different case.
Child Residence Determined in Favour of the Mother: Thorough Preparation Led the Respondent to Concede at the Preliminary Hearing
Problem. After the parents separated, the official place of residence of their son became disputed. The mother had raised the boy independently since 2020, providing for his education, healthcare, and development. The father threatened to restrict the mother's contact with the child, which prompted court proceedings.
Attorney's strategy. Attorney Igor Balaban prepared the claim and filed it with Pechersk District Court, Kyiv. The evidence base was assembled: certificates confirming that the mother and child lived together, and an inspection report on living conditions with a positive conclusion from the child welfare authority (Dmytrivka Village Council, Bucha District, Kyiv Region). The thoroughness of the preparation and the conclusiveness of the evidence led the respondent's representative to recognise that the defence was untenable; the claim was conceded in full at the preliminary hearing.
Outcome. The court entered judgment at the preliminary hearing without a full trial. The son's place of residence was determined to be with the mother until the child reaches the age of 14. The father retains the right to participate in the child's upbringing. The court fee of UAH 605.60 was returned to the claimant. Decision in the USRCD, case no. 757/10058/25-ts.
Remote Representation
Most family cases do not require the client's personal attendance at hearings. The attorney acts on the basis of a legal services agreement and an attorney's warrant. A notarised power of attorney is not required for court representation.
For clients abroad: the agreement is signed remotely, documents are exchanged electronically, and payment is made by bank transfer. Hearings may be conducted by video link.
Important: if the dispute concerns child residence or parental rights, the court may summon the client to attend in person for questioning. We advise clients of this in advance and prepare them for such a hearing.
Fees
Transparent pricing: you pay for work actually performed. Fees are fixed in the agreement before work begins.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Initial consultation | from UAH 1,000 (applied to the total fee if work proceeds) |
| Statement of claim / response / motion | from UAH 2,500 |
| Attendance at a first-instance hearing | from UAH 3,000 per hearing |
| Attendance at a hearing by video link | from UAH 2,000 per hearing |
| Appeal | from UAH 4,000 |
| Attendance at an appellate hearing | from UAH 5,000 per hearing |
| Attorney's inquiry (tracing concealed income) | from UAH 1,500 |
| Court fee | from UAH 1,331.20 for non-pecuniary claims (2026 rate). Claimants in child support cases are exempt. Verify before filing. |
All-inclusive package (claim and all hearings through to a first-instance decision): child support enforcement from UAH 5,000; determination of child residence from UAH 5,000; termination of parental rights priced individually after case assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is non-payment of child support sufficient to terminate parental rights?
- No. Non-payment is a serious breach but rarely leads to termination on its own. The court assesses the full body of evidence: whether the parent participates in the child's life, communicates with the child, and whether failure to fulfil parental duties is systematic. Only proof of overall indifference to the child, not merely arrears, gives the court grounds for termination.
- Who may bring a claim for termination of parental rights?
- The following persons are entitled to file: one of the parents, a guardian or trustee, a person in whose family the child resides, a healthcare or educational institution, the guardianship authority, or the public prosecutor. A child who has reached the age of 14 may also initiate proceedings.
- What are the consequences of termination of parental rights?
- A parent whose rights have been terminated loses all personal non-property rights in respect of the child: the right to raise the child, the right to contact, the right to receive maintenance from the child in old age, and the right to inherit from the child by operation of law. The obligation to maintain the child and pay child support, however, remains in full.
- How is child support calculated?
- The court may award child support as a share of income (1/4 for one child, 1/3 for two, 1/2 for three or more) or as a fixed sum. The minimum award is 50 percent of the subsistence minimum for a child of the relevant age. Where the payer conceals income, the court calculates the amount on the basis of the subsistence minimum or the statutory minimum income.
- What does the court consider when determining child residence?
- The court assesses each parent's attitude to their parental duties, the child's personal attachment (the child's opinion is taken into account from age 10), living conditions, the child's health, each parent's employment. The guardianship authority's opinion is mandatory but is advisory for the court. From age 14 the child determines their own place of residence (Art. 160 of the Family Code of Ukraine).
- Can child support be established without court proceedings?
- Yes. Parents may conclude a notarial agreement on child support maintenance: it has the force of an enforcement document. If the payer breaches the agreement, the recipient may apply directly to the enforcement service without going to court. We assist with both negotiations and litigation.
- What should I do if the other parent is not paying child support?
- If a court order or notarial agreement exists: obtain the enforcement document and apply to a state or private enforcement officer. The officer may recover funds from bank accounts, seize assets, and impose travel restrictions. If no prior proceedings have taken place, the court may award arrears for a past period not exceeding three years before the date of the claim (Art. 191 of the Family Code of Ukraine). Wilful evasion is a criminal offence (Art. 164 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
- Can the non-resident parent see the child?
- Yes. Determination of the child's place of residence does not deprive the other parent of the right to contact. Contact arrangements are established by parental agreement or by court order. If the other parent obstructs contact, there are grounds for court or enforcement proceedings.
- How long do family cases take in court?
- Child support by court order: 10 working days. Full claim proceedings (child support, residence, parental rights): from 2 to 6 months at first instance. With an appeal: a further 2 to 4 months. Duration depends on the other party's position and the court's workload.
- When is a court order used, and when is a full claim required?
- A court order is issued within 10 working days without a hearing if the claim meets the Code of Civil Procedure conditions: paternity is established, the claim does not involve contesting or establishing paternity, and the child support amount is claimed as the statutory share of income. A full claim is required where there is a dispute, a fixed sum is sought, paternity is being determined simultaneously, or arrears for a past period are claimed (maximum 3 years before filing, pursuant to Art. 191 of the Family Code of Ukraine).
- Can a parent living abroad have their parental rights terminated?
- Yes. The respondent's location abroad is not a bar to the proceedings. The court may hold hearings with the respondent participating by video link, or may hear the case in their absence after proper notification. The court's decision is binding regardless of the respondent's country of residence.
- Can a family case be handled remotely?
- Yes. In most family cases personal attendance at hearings is not required: the attorney acts under the contract and warrant. Clients abroad manage their cases online. In disputes over child residence or parental rights the court may summon you in person: we give advance notice and prepare you for such a hearing.
Contact the Attorney
Yurinkom Law Firm
Attorney Igor Balaban. Family law practice since 1992. Registered in the Unified Register of Attorneys of Ukraine (NAAU).
Office: Kyiv
Phone: +380 44 232 50 60
Mobile: +380 93 390 60 60
In-person appointments in Kyiv and remote consultations worldwide. Clients abroad are served without travelling to Ukraine.