On April 29, Luis Zarraluqui Sánchez-Eznarriaga (Madrid, 87 years old), a great reference in Spanish family law, died. He never stopped considering himself a practicing lawyer, despite his enforced retirement. His vocation was soon clear. He graduated in Law and went to Harvard University to expand knowledge of family law in places more socially advanced than the Spain of 1956. His father, Luis Zarraluqui Villalba, created the law firm in 1926, and was also the diary owner spain from Tangier and Sun from Malaga.
Zarraluqui was approached for any family law problem. He was a frequent consultation of newspapers, magazines and television. Luis was the lawyer for politicians, artists and other relevant figures… but never the lawyer for “the famous”. His priority was to legislate on new forms of family. He made famous the phrase that came from his experience: “There is nothing more difficult than divorcing the unmarried.” When the Divorce Law was discussed, Zarraluqui settled the disagreements with another of his forceful affirmations: divorce is the true defense of marriage.
He wrote the seven volumes that make up Family and personal law, from the Bosch publishing house. About 5,800 pages that he did not stop updating until his death. He fought for one of the most important facts in the management of justice: he was the jurist who got the disqualification on Saturday. His solo battle was a benefit to all. Among his publications stand out Divorce, defense of marriage (Bruguera), Faced with separation and divorce, what can I do? y marital battles, (Today Topics), The compensatory pension for separation and divorce (Lex Nova) or With the permission and without it (Sphere of Books).
Zarraluqui always looked at family law from the present to the future. With the preventive family law, he wanted to create a prenuptial agreement by which the couple submits to family mediation in the event of a future conflict. He saw family law in a modern light, moving away from confrontation to avoid as much harm as possible to members. The rights of minors were one of his main concerns.
Among his many statements that moved consciences were those related to judges: “The job of judge must be made as attractive as possible. In all aspects. To attract to his seat not only a few sacrificed vocational, worthy of admiration, but all the best of each promotion, to convince our society that the highest mission to which their children can and should aspire, is that of judge. and not of star judge, but of the one who with common sense, impartiality and knowledge of the law and human nature, imparts justice day by day within the four walls of his court. Because judging is the office of gods.”
Society moved much faster than legislation. New ways of being a family and of paternity appeared: fertilizations, wombs for rent… Before being topics in magazines, I was already writing and looking for references to get ahead. He could spend hours in conversation with doctors or biochemists. Luis Zarraluqui was curious until his last breath.
In 1993 he founded the Spanish Association of Family Lawyers, of which he was honorary president until his death. He has not seen one of his battles won: that family law is a specialized jurisdiction in Spain. Maybe it will be available soon.
Extraordinary host, he kept the Friday stews in the office that his father had begun to organize. There must be hundreds of caricatures of his peers and magistrates that he busily drew during trials. He had a curious hobby: the history of the foundation of the countries of the world; maps, charts, and graphs filled his computer screen. To those who once went to his office, always with some drama, fear and even terror, he accompanied them with his complicit smile to the door while he said: “Everything is going to be fine.” A good legacy for his children, who inherit the profession.
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