Universiteit Ulre Z Introduction to English Law Lecture 5: Family Law 10th December 2008 Dr. Ian Curry-Sumner UCERF, School of Law, Utrecht University — 0 Structure of the lecture 1. Topics covered 2. Marriage and civil partnership 3. Divorce 4. Matrimonial Property - a quick note! 2 Topics covered Relationships Marriage and divorce Civil partnership and dissolution Cohabitation and separation Children Parentage Parental responsibility Adoption Child care, protection and abduction Financial Aspects Marital property and maintenance -tfeiES* & Marriage: General (1) Historical development For many years left to the church Highly informal: essential aspect was consummation (Genesis 2:24) In 12th century - developed the idea of consent In the end a compromise founded, that consented to marry and consummate Problems Clandestine marriages Uncertainty as to validity with associated financial problems Hasty marriages facilitated and problems created DDE 1753- Common law marriage abolished Marriage: General (2) Lord Hardwicke's Act 1753 Public church ceremony compulsory after publication of banns on 3 consecutive Sundays Act applied to all except: Royal Family, Quakers and Jews. 1836 Amendment Anyone who didn't want to marry in church allowed. Now 2 systems: Religious K Church \^J\ marriage under ---~A/ the 1753 Act Non-Religious L___^X Non-church a^j marriage under / J 1836 Act \r Consolidated in Marriage Act 1949 Universiteit Utře Marriage: General (3) Stages Three stages to be distinguished: - Preliminaries - Solemnisation - Registration Formalities v. Capacity What's the difference? Marriage: General (4) Formalities 1. Parental consent When is it needed? Whose consent? Can it be dispensed with? Should it be retained? 2. Other preliminaries Anglican preliminaries Civil preliminaries Marriage: General (5) England & Wales Scotland Northern Ireland Type Civil Religious Civil Religious Civil Religious 1998 163,072 104,231 12,898 16,770 1,854 5,972 1999 162,679 100,836 12,434 17,506 1,833 5,795 2000 170,800 97,161 12,079 18,288 1,910 5,674 2001 160,238 88,989 11,487 18,134 1,881 5,400 2002 168,530 85,870 11,449 17,377 2,113 5,486 2003 TEA TEA 13,861 16,896 TEA TEA Total 825,319 477,087 63,908 104,971 9,591 28,327 Marriage: Religious Prelims (1) Three possibilities 1. Banns 2. Common licence 3. Special licence 1. Banns □ 90% of Anglican weddings □ Residence □ Publicity □ Waiting time Marriage: Religious Prelims (2) 2. Common licence □ Residence □ Declaration □ Publicity □ Waiting time 3. Special licence □ Act of Parliament 1533 - Archbishop of Canterbury □ Normally used in relation to Oxbridge colleges Marriage: Civil Prelims (1) Two options □ Superintendent Registrar's Certificate □ Registrar-General's Licence 1. Superintendent Registrar's Certificate □ Notice □ Objections and inquiries □ Waiting time (14 days) □ Special provision for house-bound/detained 2. Registrar-General's Licence □ <1970 no possibility for procedure outside church/register office □ Marriage (Registrar-General's Licence) Act 1970 Universiteit Ulre Marriage: Prelims Overview Civil No equivalent Superintendent Registrar's Certificate Registrar-General's Licence Im portant to note that the form of prelim inaries has no impact on the method of solemnisation! Universitcit Uiri-i-hi Marriage: Solemnisation (1) Categories of ceremony - Civil marriage - Marriage according to rites of Church of England - Marriage according tot non-Anglican religious ceremony - Quakerand Jewish marriages Marriage: Hours of Service O^QSLáA YnEA«#!" ^«O«8* an» iof OW° e"*o„e 9et 'W>„ ce. °"efree °n'y$iz5. 00 Divorce Grounds One ground: irretrievable breakdown of the marriage: s.1(1), MCA 1973 Proven Five facts: s.1(2)(a), MCA 1973: adultery and intolerable s.1(2)(b), MCA 1973: "unreasonable behaviour" s.1(2)(c), MCA 1973: desertion for continuous period of 2 years s. 1 (2) (d), MCA 1973: consent and 2 years separation s.1(2)(e), MCA 1973: no consent and 5 years separation Divorces in 2000 Ground Number Percentage Men Women 1(2)(a) 33,310 23.5% 12,227 21,083 1(2)(b) 63,152 45% 11,668 51,494 1(2)(c) 680 0.5% 269 411 1(2)(d) 32,820 23.5% 13,261 19,559 1(2)(e) 10,498 7.5% 4,851 5,647 Total 140,470 100% 42,276 98,194