Amendments to the Family Law Act 1986(1)

7.—(1) Amend section 2A (jurisdiction in or in connection with matrimonial proceedings or civil partnership proceedings) as follows.

(2) In subsection (1)—

(a)omit “matrimonial”;

(b)after “the marriage” insert “or civil partnership”;

(c)in paragraph (a)(i) after “of marriage” insert “, or dissolution or annulment of a civil partnership”; and

(d)in paragraph (b)(i) after “separation” insert “or legal separation of civil partners”.

(3) For subsection (2) substitute—

“(2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(b) above, the jurisdiction of the court is excluded if—

(a)after the grant of a decree of judicial separation, on the relevant date, proceedings for divorce or nullity in respect of the marriage, or

(b)after the making of a separation order, on the relevant date, proceedings for dissolution or annulment in respect of the civil partnership,

are continuing in Scotland or Northern Ireland.”.