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Consent order meaning

Published by a LexisNexis Family expert
What does Consent order mean?
An order recording terms agreed between the parties and approved by the court. In practice it embodies a settlement or procedural agreement (for example, disposal of the claim, a stay, case management directions or costs) and, once sealed, it is enforceable like any other court order. Across England and Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland the concept is broadly consistent and derives from court rules and case law rather than a single statutory definition. The court retains discretion to refuse approval where the terms are unlawful, outside jurisdiction or contrary to justice or (in family cases) welfare. Key features: - Requires the consent of all affected parties and court approval. - May be final (disposing of proceedings) or interlocutory. - In civil litigation in England and Wales, agreed settlements are often implemented by a Tomlin order (with terms in a confidential schedule) or a consent order on the record. - In family proceedings, a consent order (for financial remedies or child arrangements) takes effect only once approved by the court. - A consent order can be varied or set aside only on limited grounds (for example, fraud, mistake, lack of authority, material change in certain family contexts). Scottish practice uses a joint...
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View the related Checklists about Consent order

CHECKLISTS
Enforcing third-party benefits under contracts: practitioner checklist for invoking the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999, its limits, variation consent and defences

This Checklist This Checklist sets out the questions to address when you are looking to enforce a third party’s rights under a contract. The common law doctrine of privity of contract states that, as a general principle, an agreement cannot grant rights or impose duties created by its terms on anyone other than its parties, with the result that a person who is not a party ordinarily has no standing to enforce it. There are, however, situations in which a contract appears to bestow a benefit on a third party (or on several third parties), and those beneficiaries may wish to seek enforcement of that advantage. In such circumstances, attention should be given to the recognised exceptions to the privity rule-see Practice Note: Third party rights-the common law doctrine of privity of contract. One prominent exception is the ability to enforce third party rights by relying on the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 1999 (C(RTP)A 1999). This Checklist identifies the questions to ask when considering whether to rely...

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CHECKLISTS
Bankruptcy Income Payments Orders (s310) and Agreements (s310A): Practitioner Checklist, Procedure and Key Issues (England and Wales)

Income payments order The trustee in bankruptcy (trustee) may seek an income payments order (IPO) pursuant to section 310 of the Insolvency Act 1986 (IA 1986) where, having assessed matters, they consider the bankrupt enjoys surplus income once the bankrupt’s reasonable domestic needs are allowed for. See Practice Note: Income payments orders (IPOs) under section 310 of the Insolvency Act 1986. The court is responsible for setting the venue for the hearing of the trustee’s application. The trustee must provide the bankrupt with not less than 28 days’ notice of any application, enclosing the application itself and a statement of the grounds on which the order is requested. Up to five business days before the hearing date, the bankrupt may consent to the order by notifying both the court and the trustee. Alternatively, by attending the hearing, the bankrupt may make any representations they wish as to why the order ought not to be made. Any order issued must not leave the bankrupt with less than is necessary to...

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CHECKLISTS
External relocation: procedure for permanent removal of a child from England and Wales—consent, Children Act 1989 ss 8/13, FPR 2010 process, case law and required forms

Removing a child from the jurisdiction Taking a child out of the jurisdiction without the necessary consent(s) can constitute an offence under the Child Abduction Act 1984 (CAA 1984). Refer to the Practice Note titled: Child abduction—criminal action and electronic tagging. Where there is no existing child arrangements order (CAO) in force regulating the child’s living arrangements, the requisite consent must be obtained in advance of removing the child from the jurisdiction from the following: each person with parental responsibility the father (whether or not he has parental responsibility for the child) Failure to do so creates a risk of breaching CAA 1984 and/or the Hague Convention on Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. If a CAO is in place regulating the child’s living arrangements, section 13 of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989) provides that a child may not be removed from the UK without either the written consent of every person with parental responsibility or the court’s leave....

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View the related Flowcharts about Consent order

FLOWCHARTS
External SARs to the NCA: Decision Flowchart for Lawyers on Internal Referrals, Nominated Officer, LPP and Defence/Consent (POCA, TA 2000, MLR 2017)

Stage 1—preparing to bring a claim and pre-action matters Guidance on UK trade mark infringement, offences, passing off, interim injunctions, running IP disputes, privilege, dispute resolution (mediation and arbitration), and the Disclosure Scheme; plus checklists and forms (injunction, application, hearing) Stage 2—Letter before action alleging infringement Notes on infringement, passing off, unjustified threats and drafting; includes a trade mark letter of claim precedent Stage 3—commencing proceedings Procedure, defences and exceptions, IPEC flowchart, pleadings and initial disclosure precedents, and CPR/Part 36 forms Stage 4—case management Procedure and Disclosure Scheme notes, court guides (Chancery, Patents Court, IPEC and Small Claims), and case management questionnaires, Disclosure Review Document, Certificate of Compliance, budgets and directions Stage 5—disclosure and evidence Surveys and witness evidence (PD 57AC), privilege, disclosure (including electronic) and flexible trials; witness statement and Extended Disclosure precedents; affidavits, applications and certificates Stage 6—trial...

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NEWS
UK and EU commercial law weekly: UKSC no-profit fiduciary ruling, CMA consumer enforcement guidance, ECJ upholds asymmetric jurisdiction clauses, CMA tech transfer consultation, ASA pricing ruling, HMRC updates, resources

In this issue: Advertising, marketing and sponsorship Agency and distribution Consumer protection Contracts Contractual joint ventures International Daily and weekly news alerts Dates for your diary Trackers New and updated content Advertising, marketing and sponsorship ASA rulings—19 March 2025 A single complaint was made to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) about Haven Leisure Ltd’s claims on holiday pricing. The ASA upheld the complaint. See: LNB News 19/03/2025 11. Agency and distribution Recovery Partners GP Ltd v Rukhadze [2025] UKSC 10 The Supreme Court dismissed the appellants’ appeal against an order to account for profits earned in breach of duty; they were employees of the respondent companies and owed fiduciary duties. The court affirmed strict adherence to the fiduciary ‘no profit’ rule, rejecting arguments for a ‘but for’ causation test and for counterfactual enquiries into whether the gains could have been authorised if consent had been sought. See: Recovery Partners GP...

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NEWS
Court of Appeal (England and Wales) on satisfaction of consent orders, the same-damage bar and Tomlin order distinctions—Vanden Recycling v Kras Recycling

Original news Vanden Recycling Ltd v Kras Recycling BV [2017] EWCA Civ 354 What are the practical implications of this case? This ruling, in brief: affirms that once a judgment has been satisfied, further claims against other tortfeasors responsible for the same harm are generally precluded as a matter of course however, satisfying a settlement—rather than a judgment—will only preclude claims against other tortfeasors for the same harm if the amount agreed and paid was intended to determine and fix the claimant’s loss in full acknowledges (and succinctly sets out) the differences and practical distinctions between consent orders and Tomlin orders indicates that the court will look at the 'substance and effect' of a consent order’s terms and, if these are 'the same as would be made following a judgment', it is proper to treat the consent order as a judgment for the rule that satisfaction of a judgment bars claims against tortfeasors liable for the same damage (para [50]) ...

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NEWS
UK Public Law update: Brexit/Windsor Framework implementation, new SIs, constitutional scrutiny, subsidy control/State aid, and recent judicial review and equality decisions—week ending 24 October 2024

In this issue: Brexit highlights Post-Brexit transition guidelines Brexit SIs Constitutional and administrative law Subsidy control and State Aid Judicial review Equality and human rights Other Public law news Daily and weekly news alerts Dates for your diary Trackers New and updated content Useful information Brexit highlights EAC sets out recommendations on future of UK-EU data adequacy The House of Lords European Affairs Committee (EAC) has issued a letter to the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, summarising the principal conclusions and recommendations from its inquiry into UK‑EU data adequacy. It found that the loss of EU data adequacy in June 2025 would bring substantial costs and added administrative burdens for businesses and organisations, create obstacles to international trade and economic co‑operation, and detrimentally affect Northern Ireland under the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the Windsor Framework Agreement. The EAC therefore advises that the government engage with...

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View the related Practice Notes about Consent order

PRACTICE NOTES
Family arbitration and court oversight in England and Wales: stays, consent orders, and challenges post-Haley for financial remedies and children under the IFLA scheme and Arbitration Acts 1996/2025

This Practice Note clearly explains the courts’ function within the context of family arbitration. In matters concerning families, any arbitration normally proceeds under the Institute of Family Law Arbitrators (IFLA) scheme. The courts continue to have overall jurisdiction over any family arbitration award or determination and will endorse the award or determination provided it falls within recognised limits, thereby fully respecting the parties’ autonomy. For further practical guidance on, among other things, the conduct of arbitration in family cases, the principal advantages of arbitration, the scope of the IFLA scheme and the arbitrator’s powers, please see Practice Note: Family arbitration—introduction. Acting on Law Commission proposals to reform the Arbitration Act 1996 (AA 1996) and to bring in measures to bolster arbitrator immunity, enhance overall case efficiency and clarify the court’s powers, a draft Bill reflecting those recommendations was formally laid before Parliament and subsequently obtained Royal Assent on 25 February 2025. Accordingly, the Arbitration Act 2025 (AA 2025) modifies AA 1996 from 1 August 2025 by virtue of the Arbitration...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Traffic Regulation Orders under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984: authorities, procedure, notices, consents and challenges (England and Wales)

This Practice Note identifies the traffic authorities empowered to manage highway traffic across the highway network under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 (RTRA 1984), and outlines a traffic authority’s obligations in relation to road traffic. It sets out how that duty is discharged by making Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) pursuant to the RTRA 1984, and the situations where approval from the Secretary of State or the Welsh Ministers is required, where necessary and appropriate, before an Order is made. What is a Traffic Regulation Order? A TRO is a formal order or byelaw issued by a traffic authority specifying the type and scope of traffic restrictions within a particular locality...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Conducting and compromising family proceedings where capacity is in issue (England and Wales): assessment, expert evidence, litigation friends, vulnerable participation, and funding

This Practice Note This Practice Note outlines how the family courts address questions of capacity and the methods for assessing it, including the use of expert opinion. Within family proceedings, capacity is pertinent both to a person's ability to litigate and to settle proceedings, such as by agreeing a consent order. The focus is chiefly on an adult's capacity, or on cases where a 16–17 year old is involved in the proceedings and is expected to lack the necessary decision-making capacity on reaching 18. For matters concerning children's representation, see also Practice Note: Children as parties to public law proceedings. Broader issues about capacity in the context of family relationships are addressed in Practice Note: Capacity to marry, cohabit and have sexual relations. In Richardson-Ruhan v Ruhan, Mostyn J observed that a person's capacity to run proceedings is not contingent on receiving legal advice (whether sound or poor); if, with the benefit of advice, they would be able to take the required decisions, they have capacity, regardless of whether...

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View the related Precedents about Consent order

PRECEDENTS
Precedent settlement agreement (long form) for construction disputes: full and final settlement with mutual releases, indemnities and optional Tomlin/Consent order (English law)

This Settlement Agreement is dated [ insert date ] (the ‘Settlement Date’) and entered into by the following parties (each a ‘party’, together the ‘parties’): Parties [ insert name of party A ], a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ], company number [ insert company number ], with registered office at [ insert registered office ] ('[ Name of party A ]'); and [ insert name of party B ], a company incorporated in [ England and Wales ], company number [ insert company number ], with registered office at [ insert registered office ] ('[ Name of party B ]'). Background (A) The parties have entered into a construction contract dated [ insert date ] in respect of the [ insert description of works/project, eg ‘design and construction of a property known as Bloggs House' ] (the ‘Contract’). (B) [ The parties are involved in a dispute [ concerning [ insert details of the dispute, including material...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent letter responding to opponent's extension request for compliance with rules, practice directions or court orders, with refusal, counter-proposal, conditional consent, costs and unless order options

[ insert name and address of the claimant or the claimant’s legal representative ] [ insert date ] [ Claimant v Defendant—Case number ] Dear [ insert organisation name ] Thank you for your letter dated [ insert date ] seeking extra time for [ describe the length of the extension requested and the step to be taken ]. [ Either: We have reviewed your request and are unable to agree. [ Provide reasons for refusal ] OR explain why the period requested is too long and put forward a shorter timetable ] OR We have considered the request and will agree subject to these conditions: Your client shall pay our client’s costs arising from this request [ in the sum of £… ] within [ ] days of this letter. AND/OR All directions in the order of [ insert name ] dated [ date ] are extended correspondingly so that: ...

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PRECEDENTS
Child maintenance and other financial provision for children: CMS calculations, Schedule 1 Children Act 1989, top-up orders, lump sums, property settlements and procedure (England and Wales)

This note offers broad guidance on financial support for children. Your family solicitor can give tailored advice to suit your particular circumstances and needs. Child maintenance Under the law relating to child maintenance (also called child support), the court is generally unable to make a child maintenance order other than by the parties’ consent (agreement), except where certain exceptions apply. Any consent order for a child’s maintenance binds for only one year, after which either parent may seek a calculation from the Child Maintenance Service (CMS), if they wish to do so. Where you and the other parent cannot settle the level of maintenance, either party can apply to the CMS for a formal assessment...

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View the related Q&As about Consent order

Q&As
Post-18 tertiary education after lapsed child maintenance order: para 2(3) Sch 1 CA 1989; child or PWC?

The young person is now past 18, has finished secondary schooling and is moving on to higher education. The prior maintenance arrangement has now ceased, and the child intends to seek financial provision under Schedule 1 of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989) by making their application. Under ChA 1989, Sch 1, a parent, guardian, or special guardian of a child, or any person in whose favour a residence order is in force with respect of a child, may apply for a range of orders for the benefit of a child as provided under Sch 1...

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Q&As
Deed poll at 16: can mother execute without father’s PR consent?

When a baby is born, the birth must be registered, and the surname entered at that time is intended to be the name by which the child is known. If a parent later wishes to change the child’s surname, they should first consult any other person who holds parental responsibility before any step is taken. This applies irrespective of the existence of a child arrangements order, and regardless of whether that person has contact with the child (Re PC (Change of Surname)). Where there is disagreement, the matter must be placed before the court for a determination. A contested change of surname must not be made unilaterally (Dawson v Wearmouth). Altering a name is a significant matter and should not be approached lightly. In deciding whether to grant leave, the court is guided by the welfare principle in section 1(1) of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989), and will act accordingly...

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Q&As
Child maintenance capitalisation in a clean break consent order

Broadly, a capitalised maintenance order is intended to achieve a clean break, bringing to an end each party’s financial responsibilities owed to the other, both during life and on death, pursuant to the relevant statutory provisions of section 25A of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA 1973) See the Practice Notes: Capitalised maintenance—Duxbury calculations, and Financial clean break orders in family proceedings...

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