彩礼纠纷案件中的法治困局及其破解路径——兼评法释[2024]1号彩礼返还之相关规定

The Legal Dilemma and Legal Logic in Bride Price Disputes——Concurrent Evaluation of the Supreme People's Court's"Provisions on the Application of Laws in Bride Price Dispute Cases"

彩礼这一社会现象具有深厚的传统文化根基和复杂的社会经济因素,其将财产关系和人身关系相糅合,产生了较为复杂的民事法律关系。彩礼纠纷案件中存在主观目的、彩礼数额、婚姻状态、当地习俗、共同生活时间、孕育状况、双方过错、给付家庭经济情况等综合因素,且这些因素往往随时间变化而变动不居,导致了实践中裁判规则的不统一。法释[2024]1号对彩礼的界定,在未结婚登记但确已共同生活和已结婚登记但共同生活时间较短情况下彩礼返还的全新规定,对当事人范围的明确以及彩礼返还时对于习俗、过错等因素的综合考量等等都值得充分肯定。但彩礼纠纷案件裁判规则仍然存在进一步完善的空间。对此,应明确规定婚约解除的法定情形,并以此为基础进一步规定过错方在婚约解除或故违婚约时对于无过错的对方的赔偿责任。落实禁止借婚姻索取财物,应以历年“中央一号文件”为指导,坚持多措并举,持续引导和推动移风易俗,切实化解彩礼纠纷,逐步消除高价彩礼赖以滋生的条件和根源,有效维护社会和谐稳定。

The phenomenon of bride price has a profound traditional cultural foundation and complex socio-economic factors.It blends property and personal relationships,resulting in complex civil legal relationships.In cases of bride price disputes,there are comprehensive factors such as subjective purpose,dowry amount,marital status,local customs,shared living time,pregnancy status,fault of both parties,and economic situation of the paying family.These factors often change over time,leading to the inconsistency of judgment rules in practice.The Supreme People's Court's“Provisions on the Application of Law in Bride Price Dispute Cases”defines bride price,introduces new provisions on its return in cases where the bride price has not been registered but has actually lived together,and in cases where its has been registered but has lived together for a relatively short period of time.It also clarifies the scope of the parties involved and comprehensively considers factors such as customs and faults when returning the bride price.However,there is still room for further improvement in the arbitration rules for bride price disputes.In this regard,it is necessary to clearly define the legal circumstances for the termination of a marriage contract,and based on this,further define the compensation liability of the fault party to the innocent party in the event of termination or breach of the marriage contract.In order to implement the prohibition on asking for property through marriage,we should follow the guidance of the“No.1 central document”over the years,adhere to multiple measures,continue to guide and promote the change of customs,practically resolve the disputes over bride price,gradually eliminate the conditions and root causes of high price bride price,and effectively maintain social harmony and stability.