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Family homes and domestic violence |
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Amendments of the Family Law Act 1996 (c. 27) |
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1 (1) | Amend section 30 (rights concerning matrimonial home where one spouse |
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has no estate, etc.) as follows. |
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(i) | after “one spouse” insert “or civil partner (“A”)”, and |
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(ii) | for “that spouse” substitute “A”. |
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(b) | in paragraph (b), after “other spouse” insert “or civil partner (“B”)”. |
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(a) | for “the spouse not so entitled” substitute “B”, |
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(b) | for “(“matrimonial home rights”)” substitute “(“home rights”)”, and |
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(c) | in paragraph (a), for “the other spouse” substitute “A”. |
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(a) | for “a spouse” and for “that spouse” substitute “B”, and |
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(b) | for “the other spouse” (in both places) substitute “A”. |
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(a) | for “A spouse’s” substitute “B’s”, |
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(b) | in paragraph (a), for “by the other spouse as the other spouse’s” |
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substitute “by A as A’s”, and |
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(i) | for “the spouse occupies the dwelling-house as that spouse’s” |
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substitute “B occupies the dwelling-house as B’s”, and |
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(ii) | for “by the other spouse as the other spouse’s” substitute “by |
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(a) | for “a spouse (“the first spouse”)” substitute “B”, and |
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(b) | in paragraph (b), for “the other spouse (“the second spouse”)” |
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(c) | for “the second spouse” substitute “A”, and |
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(d) | for “the first spouse against the second spouse” substitute “B against |
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(a) | for “a spouse” substitute “B”, and |
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(b) | for “the other spouse” (in both places) substitute “A”. |
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(8) | In subsection (7), for the words from first “which” to the end substitute |
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(a) | in the case of spouses, has at no time been, and was at no time |
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intended by them to be, a matrimonial home of theirs; and |
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(b) | in the case of civil partners, has at no time been, and was at |
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no time intended by them to be, a civil partnership home of |
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(a) | for “A spouse’s matrimonial home rights” substitute “B’s home |
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(b) | in paragraph (a), after “marriage” insert “or civil partnership”, and |
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(c) | in paragraph (b), for “the other spouse” substitute “A”. |
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(a) | for “a spouse” (in both places) substitute “a person”, and |
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(b) | for “matrimonial home rights” substitute “home rights”. |
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(11) | In the heading to section 30, for “matrimonial home where one spouse” |
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substitute “home where one spouse or civil partner” and, in the preceding |
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cross-heading, after “matrimonial” insert “or civil partnership”. |
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2 (1) | Amend section 31 (effect of matrimonial home rights as charge on dwelling- |
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(2) | In subsection (1) for “marriage, one spouse” substitute “marriage or civil |
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(3) | In subsection (2) for “The other spouse’s matrimonial home rights” |
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substitute “B’s home rights”. |
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(a) | in paragraph (a), for “the spouse so entitled” substitute “A”, and |
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(b) | in paragraph (b), after “marriage” insert “or of the formation of the |
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(a) | for “a spouse’s matrimonial home rights” substitute “B’s home |
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(b) | for “the other spouse” substitute “A”, and |
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(c) | for “either of the spouses” substitute “A or B”. |
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(6) | In subsection (5) for “the other spouse” substitute “A”. |
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(7) | In subsection (7) for “the spouses” substitute “A and B”. |
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(a) | for “a spouse’s matrimonial home rights” substitute “B’s home |
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(b) | in paragraph (a), for “the other spouse” substitute “A”, and |
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(c) | in paragraph (b), after “marriage” insert “or civil partnership”. |
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(a) | in paragraph (a), for “a spouse’s matrimonial home rights” substitute |
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(b) | for “the other spouse” (in both places) substitute “A”. |
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(a) | for “a spouse” and for “that spouse” substitute “A”, and |
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(b) | in paragraph (b), for “a spouse’s matrimonial home rights” |
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substitute “B’s home rights”. |
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(11) | For subsection (12)(a) substitute— |
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“(a) | B’s home rights are a charge on the estate of A or of trustees |
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(12) | In the heading to section 31, for “matrimonial home rights” substitute “home |
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3 | For section 32 (further provisions relating to matrimonial home rights) |
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| “32 Further provisions relating to home rights |
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Schedule 4 (provisions supplementary to sections 30 and 31) has |
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4 (1) | Amend section 33 (occupation orders where applicant has estate or interest |
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etc. or has matrimonial home rights) as follows. |
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(2) | In subsection (1)(a)(ii), for “matrimonial home rights” substitute “home |
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(3) | After subsection (2) insert— |
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“(2A) | If a civil partnership agreement (as defined by section 73 of the Civil |
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Partnership Act 2004) is terminated, no application under this |
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section may be made by virtue of section 62(3)(eza) by reference to |
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that agreement after the end of the period of three years beginning |
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with the day on which it is terminated.” |
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(4) | In subsection (3)(e)— |
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(a) | for “matrimonial home rights” substitute “home rights”, and |
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(b) | after “spouse” insert “or civil partner”. |
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(5) | In subsection (4), for “matrimonial home rights” substitute “home rights”. |
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(a) | for “matrimonial home rights” substitute “home rights”, |
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(b) | after “is the other spouse” insert “or civil partner”, |
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(c) | after “during the marriage” insert “or civil partnership”, |
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(d) | in paragraph (a), after “spouse” insert “or civil partner”, and |
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(e) | in paragraph (b), after “marriage” insert “or civil partnership”. |
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(7) | In the heading to section 33, for “matrimonial home rights” substitute “home |
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5 | In section 34 (effect of order under section 33 where rights are charge on |
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dwelling-house), in subsection (1)— |
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(a) | for “a spouse’s matrimonial home rights” substitute “B’s home |
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(b) | for “the other spouse” (in each place) substitute “A”. |
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6 (1) | Amend section 35 (one former spouse with no existing right to occupy) as |
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(2) | In subsection (1)(a) and (b), after “former spouse” insert “or former civil |
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(3) | For subsection (1)(c) substitute— |
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(i) | in the case of former spouses, was at any time their |
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matrimonial home or was at any time intended by |
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them to be their matrimonial home, or |
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(ii) | in the case of former civil partners, was at any time |
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their civil partnership home or was at any time |
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intended by them to be their civil partnership home.” |
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(4) | In subsection (2), after “former spouse” (in both places) insert “or former |
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(5) | In subsection (6)(f), after “marriage” insert “or civil partnership”. |
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(6) | After subsection (6)(g)(i), insert— |
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“(ia) | for a property adjustment order under Part 2 of |
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Schedule 5 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004;”. |
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(7) | In subsection (9)(a), after “former spouses” insert “or former civil partners”. |
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(8) | In subsections (11) and (12), after “former spouse” insert “or former civil |
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(9) | For subsection (13)(a) and (b) substitute— |
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“(a) | as if he were B (the person entitled to occupy the dwelling- |
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house by virtue of that section); and |
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(b) | as if the respondent were A (the person entitled as mentioned |
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in subsection (1)(a) of that section).” |
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(10) | In the heading to section 35, after “former spouse” insert “or former civil |
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7 | In section 36 (one cohabitant or former cohabitant with no existing right to |
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occupy), for subsection (13)(a) and (b) substitute— |
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“(a) | as if he were B (the person entitled to occupy the dwelling- |
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house by virtue of that section); and |
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(b) | as if the respondent were A (the person entitled as mentioned |
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in subsection (1)(a) of that section).” |
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8 (1) | Amend section 37 (neither spouse entitled to occupy) as follows. |
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(2) | After subsection (1) insert— |
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“(1A) | This section also applies if— |
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(a) | one civil partner or former civil partner and the other civil |
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partner or former civil partner occupy a dwelling-house |
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which is or was the civil partnership home; but |
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(b) | neither of them is entitled to remain in occupation— |
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(i) | by virtue of a beneficial estate or interest or contract; |
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(ii) | by virtue of any enactment giving him the right to |
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(3) | In subsection (3)(b), for “spouses” substitute “parties”. |
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(4) | In the heading to section 37, after “spouse” insert “or civil partner”. |
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9 | In section 42 (non-molestation orders), after subsection (4) insert— |
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“(4ZA) | If a civil partnership agreement (as defined by section 73 of the Civil |
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Partnership Act 2004) is terminated, no application under this |
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section may be made by virtue of section 62(3)(eza) by reference to |
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that agreement after the end of the period of three years beginning |
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with the day on which it is terminated.” |
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10 (1) | In section 44 (evidence of agreement to marry), after subsection (2) insert— |
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“(3) | Subject to subsection (4), the court shall not make an order under |
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section 33 or 42 by virtue of section 62(3)(eza) unless there is |
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produced to it evidence in writing of the existence of the civil |
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partnership agreement (as defined by section 73 of the Civil |
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(4) | Subsection (3) does not apply if the court is satisfied that the civil |
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partnership agreement was evidenced by— |
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(a) | a gift by one party to the agreement to the other as a token of |
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(b) | a ceremony entered into by the parties in the presence of one |
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or more other persons assembled for the purpose of |
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witnessing the ceremony.” |
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(2) | In the heading to section 44, after “marry” insert “or form a civil |
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11 | In section 49 (variation and discharge of orders), in subsection (3)— |
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(a) | for “a spouse’s matrimonial home rights” substitute “B’s home rights |
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are, under section 31,”, and |
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(b) | for “the other spouse” (in each place) substitute “A”. |
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12 (1) | Amend section 54 (dwelling-house subject to mortgage) as follows. |
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(2) | In subsections (3)(a) and (4), for “matrimonial home rights” substitute |
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(3) | In subsection (5), after “spouse, former spouse” insert “, civil partner, former |
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13 (1) | Amend section 62 (meaning of “cohabitants”, “relevant child” and |
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“associated persons”) as follows. |
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(a) | in paragraph (a), for “two persons who, although not married to each |
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other, are living together as husband and wife or (if of the same sex) |
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in an equivalent relationship;” substitute “two persons who are |
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neither married to each other nor civil partners of each other but are |
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living together as husband and wife or as if they were civil |
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(b) | in paragraph (b), after “have subsequently married each other” insert |
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“or become civil partners of each other”. |
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(3) | After subsection (3)(a) insert— |
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“(aa) | they are or have been civil partners of each other;”. |
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(4) | After subsection (3)(e) insert— |
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“(eza) | they have entered into a civil partnership agreement (as |
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defined by section 73 of the Civil Partnership Act 2004) |
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(whether or not that agreement has been terminated);”. |
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14 (1) | Amend section 63 (interpretation of Part 4) as follows. |
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(2) | In subsection (1), after the definition of “health” insert— |
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| ““home rights” has the meaning given by section 30;”. |
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(3) | Omit the definition of “matrimonial home rights” in that subsection. |
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(4) | In the definition of relative in that subsection— |
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(a) | in paragraphs (a) and (b), for “spouse or former spouse” substitute |
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“spouse, former spouse, civil partner or former civil partner”, |
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(b) | in paragraph (b), for “by affinity)” substitute “by marriage or civil |
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(c) | after “were married to each other” insert “or were civil partners of |
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(5) | After subsection (2)(i) insert— |
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“(j) | Schedules 5 to 7 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004.” |
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15 (1) | Amend Schedule 4 (provisions supplementary to sections 30 and 31) as |
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(2) | In paragraph 2, after “spouse” (in both places) insert “or civil partner”. |
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(3) | In paragraph 3(1) and (3), after “spouse” insert “or civil partner”. |
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(4) | In paragraph 4(1), for “spouse’s matrimonial home rights” substitute |
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“spouse’s or civil partner’s home rights”. |
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(5) | For paragraphs 4(1)(a) to (c) substitute— |
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“(a) | in the case of a marriage— |
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(i) | by the production of a certificate or other sufficient |
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evidence, that either spouse is dead, |
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(ii) | by the production of an official copy of a decree or |
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order of a court, that the marriage has been |
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terminated otherwise than by death, or |
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(iii) | by the production of an order of the court, that the |
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spouse’s home rights constituting the charge have |
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been terminated by the order, and |
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(b) | in the case of a civil partnership— |
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(i) | by the production of a certificate or other sufficient |
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evidence, that either civil partner is dead, |
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(ii) | by the production of an official copy of an order or |
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decree of a court, that the civil partnership has been |
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terminated otherwise than by death, or |
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(iii) | by the production of an order of the court, that the |
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civil partner’s home rights constituting the charge |
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have been terminated by the order.” |
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(i) | after “marriage” insert “or civil partnership”, and |
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(ii) | after “spouse” insert “or civil partner”, and |
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(b) | in paragraph (b), after “spouse” insert “or civil partner”. |
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(7) | In paragraph 4(3), after “spouse” insert “or civil partner”. |
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(8) | In the heading to paragraph 4, after “marriage” insert “or civil partnership”. |
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(9) | In paragraph 5(1), for “spouse entitled to matrimonial home rights” |
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substitute “spouse or civil partner entitled to home rights”. |
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(a) | for “matrimonial home rights” substitute “home rights”, and |
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(b) | in paragraph (a), after “spouse” insert “or civil partner”. |
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(11) | In the heading to paragraph 5, for “matrimonial home rights” substitute |
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(12) | In paragraph 6, after “spouse” (in both places) insert “or civil partner”. |
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16 (1) | Amend Schedule 7 (transfer of certain tenancies on divorce etc. or on |
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separation of cohabitants) as follows. |
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(2) | In paragraph 1, before the definition of “cohabitant” insert— |
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| ““civil partner”, except in paragraph 2, includes (where the |
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context requires) former civil partner;”. |
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(3) | In paragraph 2(1), after “spouse” (in both places) insert “or civil partner”. |
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(4) | For paragraph 2(2) substitute— |
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“(2) | The court may make a Part II order— |
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(a) | on granting a decree of divorce, a decree of nullity of |
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marriage or a decree of judicial separation or at any time |
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thereafter (whether, in the case of a decree of divorce or |
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nullity of marriage, before or after the decree is made |
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(b) | at any time when it has power to make a property |
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adjustment order under Part 2 of Schedule 5 to the Civil |
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Partnership Act 2004 with respect to the civil partnership.” |
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(5) | Omit “or” at the end of paragraph 4(a) and insert— |
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“(aa) | in the case of civil partners, a civil partnership home; or”. |
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(6) | In paragraph 5(a), after “spouses” insert “, civil partners”. |
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(a) | after “spouse” (in the first place) insert “, a civil partner”, and |
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(b) | after “spouse” (in the second place) insert “, civil partner”. |
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(8) | In paragraph 7(1) and (2), after “spouse” (in each place) insert “, civil |
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(9) | For paragraph 7(3) to (4) substitute— |
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“(3) | If the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant so entitled is a successor |
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within the meaning of Part 4 of the Housing Act 1985— |
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(a) | his former spouse (or, in the case of judicial separation, his |
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(b) | his former civil partner (or, if a separation order is in force, |
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(c) | his former cohabitant, |
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| is to be deemed also to be a successor within the meaning of that |
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(3A) | If the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant so entitled is a successor |
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within the meaning of section 132 of the Housing Act 1996— |
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(a) | his former spouse (or, in the case of judicial separation, his |
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(b) | his former civil partner (or, if a separation order is in force, |
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(c) | his former cohabitant, |
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| is to be deemed also to be a successor within the meaning of that |
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(4) | If the spouse, civil partner or cohabitant so entitled is for the |
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purposes of section 17 of the Housing Act 1988 a successor in |
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relation to the tenancy or occupancy— |
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(a) | his former spouse (or, in the case of judicial separation, his |
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(b) | his former civil partner (or, if a separation order is in force, |
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(c) | his former cohabitant, |
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| is to be deemed to be a successor in relation to the tenancy or |
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occupancy for the purposes of that section.” |
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