The article contains analysis of problematic topics of protection of the rights of the child in civil and criminal law. It is stressed that the best interests of the child should be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children regardless whether undertaken by public or private institutions, courts of law, administrative authorities or legislative bodies, dealing with issues of social security. In decisions regarding children their most favorable interests must have the highest priority. In the meantime, the best interests of a child, depending on importance and nature of those interests, may overweight the interests of parents. The author of the article identifies some landmarks in appropriate furnishing of evidences in pre-trial investigation and eventually in judicial hearings of cases on persistent failure to pay contributions (alimony) for support of children.

Based upon systematical approach, it is emphasized on inadvisability of provision within article 164 of Criminal Code of Ukraine of such feature as “persistent failure”. The child has right for appropriate maintenance and upbringing by parents.

Thus, the very fact of non-fulfilment of judgement on contribution for support of children is direct violation of child’s rights as natural rights, and therefore persistency does not matter in case of failure to fulfill those rights. It is worth to reduce the term of overdue from 2 months to one month. As a result, the constitutional principle of equality before law will be preserved, because the child is a human too, and alimony is his or her source of livelihood (sometimes the only source). It is stated in conclusion that failure to pay contributions (alimony) for support of children is persistent failure, since it is intended on non-fulfilling of the judgement (the fulfillment of the judgement should be in full, not partial), it lasts for a significant period of time (over 2 months in the aggregate), it happens systematically, it was not inevitable and caused outstanding contributions for child support in amount, which altogether makes the total sum of payments concerned for relevant period, such debtor committed the crime envisaged in part 1 article 164 of Criminal Code of Ukraine.

Bibliography

Authored books

1. Belogric-Kotljarevskij L, Ocherki kursa russkogo ugolovnogo prava. Obshhaja i osobennaja chasti (Juzhno-russkoe knigoizdatel’stvo F A Iogansona 1908) (in Russian).

2. Bojko A, Sistema i struktura ugolovnogo prava, t I: Sistemologija i strukturalizm v sovremennoj poznavatel’noj kul’ture (Izd-vo JuFU 2007) (in Russian).

3. Fojnickij I, Moshennichestvo po russkomu pravu, сh 1 (Spb, v tipografii tovarishhestva “Obshhestvennaja pol’za” 1871) (in Russian).

4. Muzyka L, Kontseptsiia tsyvilno-pravovoi polityky Ukrainy (PALYVODA A V 2020) (in Ukrainian).

5. Tagancev N, Russkoe ugolovnoe pravo, t 1 (Avtograf 2001) (in Russian).

6. Zhalinskij A, Ugolovnoe pravo v ozhidanii peremen: teoretiko-instrumental’nyj analiz (2-e izd, Prospekt 2009) (in Russian). Edited books 7. Ignatov A, Krasikov Ju (red), Ugolovnoe pravo Rossii, t 1: Obshhaja chast’ (INFRA-M Norma 1998) (in Russian).

Journal articles

8. Borisova V, Krasytska L, ‘Alimony obligations of family members in the family law of Ukraine: problematic issues of theory and practice’ [2020] 27 (3) Journal of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine 28 (in English).

9. Petryshyn O V, Petryshyn O O, Hyliaka O S, ‘The problem of non-implementation of judgements of the European Court of Human Rights in Ukraine in the context of the rule of law (methodological and comparative aspects)’ [2021] 28 (2) Journal of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine 17 (in English).

10. Pleniuk M, Vodopian T, ‘The rights of the child in medical relations: addressing the matter of the concept’ [2020] 27 (4) Journal of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine 172 (in English).

11. Tur O, Kravchyk M, Nastasiak I, Sirant M, Stetsyuk N, ‘Practice of applying international principles in private law relations’ [2021] 28 (4) Journal of the National Academy of Legal Sciences of Ukraine 223 (in English).

12. Maidanyk R, ‘Tsyvilne pravo yak sfera pryvatnoho prava Ukrainy’ (2013) 1 Pryvatne pravo 65–80 (in Ukrainian).

13. Muzyka L, ‘Problemy prav dytyny u simeinykh ta kryminalnykh spravakh’ (2019) 5 Eurasian Academic Research Journal 31–8 (in Ukrainian).

Theses

 14. Mendzhul M, ‘Teoretychni problemy dii pryntsypiv simeinoho prava’ (dys d-ra yuryd nauk, 2020) (in Ukrainian).

15. Pikurov N, ‘Teoreticheskie problemy mezhotraslevyh svjazej ugolovnogo prava’ (dis d-ra jurid nauk, 1998) (in Russian).

Conference papers

16. Gorshunov D, ‘Konceptual’noe razvitie sovremennogo rossijskogo chastogo prava’ v Rossijskaja pravovaja politika v sfere chastogo prava: materialy “kruglogo stola” zhurnalov “Gosudarstvo i pravo” i “Pravovaja politika i pravovaja zhizn’” (Mal’ko A, Gorshunov D red, 2011) 27 (in Russian).

17. Muzyka A, Muzyka L, ‘Kryminalno-pravova okhorona prav dytyny v aspekti alimentnykh zobov’iazan’ v Osoblyva chastyna Kryminalnoho kodeksu Ukrainy: systema ta zmist: materialy mizhnar. nauk. konf. (Baulin Iu, Ponomarenko Yu, Vyshnevska I redkol, Pravo 2022) 107–9 (in Ukrainian).

Websites

18. ‘V Ukraini skorotylasia kilkist borzhnykiv z alimentiv’ (Zmina, 04.02.2019) <https:// zmina.info/news/v_ukrajini_skorotilas_kilkist_borzhnikiv_po_alimentam_> (accessed: 15.10.2022) (in Ukrainian).