The maintenance and support obligation includes not only the provision of nutrition in the sense of basic foodstuffs, but also the satisfaction of other tangible and intangible needs (housing, clothing, medical, cultural, sports and recreational needs, etc.). The maintenance and support obligation of parents towards a child is a statutory obligation. Maintenance and support can be provided in monetary (payment of an amount) or non-monetary form (e.g. provision of housing, performance of personal care, care of a common household, or other property benefits with a cash value).
Maintenance and support is paid in regular instalments and is always due one month in advance, unless a court decides otherwise, or the person obliged to provide maintenance and support has agreed otherwise with the entitled person (Section 921 of the Civil Code).
The maintenance and support obligation of the parents towards a child does not end with their majority, but when the child is able to support themselves (i.e. usually after the end of systematic preparation for a future profession).
Among other things, a person who does not comply with their maintenance and support obligation may commit the crime of neglect of maintenance and support. This crime is committed by a person who fails to comply, including through negligence, with their legal obligation to maintain or provide for another person for more than four months, and shall be punished by imprisonment for up to one year. Anyone who deliberately evades such legal obligation for more than four months will be punished by imprisonment of up to two years. A criminal report can be made in writing or orally in a report, while every department of the Police of the Czech Republic has an obligation to accept such a report.
Persons obliged to provide maintenance and support for a child
Scope of the maintenance and support obligation
Maintenance and support proceedings