Taiwanese Court Rules: Daughter Exempted from Supporting Mother Who Neglected Her

A poignant case in Taiwan highlights parental responsibility and the complexities of filial piety.

In a recent ruling, a court in Southern Taiwan addressed a case involving a woman, identified as 阿美 (A-Me), seeking financial support from her daughter. 阿美, who had a daughter from a previous marriage and later a son with a second husband, claimed she was unable to work due to multiple health issues following the end of her second marriage. She requested her daughter provide a monthly payment of NT$10,000.

In the court documents, 阿美 stated she divorced her first husband, with their daughter being raised solely by the father. After approximately two years, 阿美 remarried and had a son. However, the second marriage lasted only four years. Now, with a poor health, unable to stand for extended periods, without employment or assets, and denied low-income assistance, 阿美 turned to her daughter for financial support.

The daughter testified that while her mother visited her occasionally after the parents' divorce, the visits ceased entirely after her mother had a son with her second husband. The daughter argued that her mother had failed to fulfill her parental duties without valid reasons, and requested that the court exempt her from the obligation to provide support.

The presiding judge, after examining the case, determined that 阿美 had, without justification, failed to care for or support her daughter after the divorce. Considering that both mother and daughter agreed to the exemption of the daughter's support obligations, the court dismissed 阿美’s request and ruled that the daughter was not required to provide financial support. The decision is subject to appeal.