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Dissolution order meaning

Published by a LexisNexis Family expert
What does Dissolution order mean?
A dissolution order is the court’s final order that legally ends a civil partnership. In England and Wales and in Northern Ireland, this is the statutory term used under the Civil Partnership Act 2004. In Scotland, the equivalent is a decree of dissolution granted by the sheriff court or Court of Session. In Ireland, the courts also make an order dissolving a civil partnership under the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010. Typically, a dissolution order is made on application after a conditional order (or Scottish equivalent) and any required waiting period, once the court is satisfied the statutory requirements for dissolution are met. The order terminates the parties’ legal status as civil partners, enabling them to marry or enter a new civil partnership, and it has practical consequences for succession, pensions and taxation. A dissolution order does not by itself resolve financial matters or child arrangements; these require separate financial remedy or other orders. It is commonly required to implement pension sharing, finalise property adjustment and to evidence status to public bodies. While terminology varies slightly, the legal effect is broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
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View the related Checklists about Dissolution order

CHECKLISTS
Undefended paper-based divorce under MCA 1973 and FPR 2010: pre-DDSA 2020 procedure for petitions issued on or before 5 April 2022 (England and Wales)

Procedural Guide This Procedural Guide explains the actions required for cases lodged with the court on or before 5 April 2022 for an uncontested divorce (a request for a matrimonial order) under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA 1973), where the divorce is progressing by non-electronic means, namely a paper-based process (on paper). It provides guidance on who may seek a divorce, irretrievable breakdown, the lodging and service of the divorce petition (Form D8), and the filing of an acknowledgement of service. It further sets out the evidence that must be supplied to establish the fact relied upon, the steps for seeking decree nisi and submitting the supporting statement, decree absolute, and the rules in relation to costs in divorce proceedings... The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020) took effect on 6 April 2022. Matters issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022 are governed by DDSA 2020 and the procedural changes introduced by the amended Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955....

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CHECKLISTS
Dissolution of civil partnerships: procedural guide for proceedings issued before 6 April 2022 (England and Wales)

Procedural Guide This Procedural Guide explains the process to follow for an application to dissolve a civil partnership, in an undefended matter under the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (CPA 2004), for proceedings issued before 6 April 2022. It provides direction on: who can apply irretrievable breakdown service of the petition filing an acknowledgement of service It further outlines the evidence required to prove the relied-on fact, making an application for a conditional order of dissolution, obtaining the final dissolution order, and the approach to costs. The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020) took effect on 6 April 2022. Proceedings issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022 are governed by DDSA 2020 and by procedural changes under the amended Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955. For more information, see Practice Note: Introduction to the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020. Proceedings issued by the court on or before 5 April 2022 will continue in...

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CHECKLISTS
Procedure for setting aside reviewable dispositions defeating financial remedy claims—MCA 1973 s 37/CPA 2004 applications under FPR Part 18 (England and Wales)

If one party suspects the other has transferred assets to a third party to undermine their claims in financial remedy proceedings arising from divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership, they may seek relief under section 37 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA 1973) or the corresponding provision in the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (CPA 2004). Any such transfer is a 'reviewable' disposition, enabling the court to examine it and, where appropriate, nullify it. The application can be brought either before, or after, the court has made an order in the substantive financial proceedings. The recipient third party must be added as a party to the case. Procedure is governed by the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955, Pt 18. A financial application must be extant when asking the court to set aside. This requires a properly constituted application under any of MCA 1973, ss 22, 23, 24, 24B, 27, 31 (save for MCA 1973, s 31(6)) or MCA 1973, s 35, or the CPA 2004 equivalents....

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FLOWCHARTS
Restoring a dissolved company by court order: practitioner flowchart

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NEWS
UK immigration law weekly update (23 May 2024): general election, entry clearance statistics, electronic border systems, Rwanda treaty, EUSS/PSS reforms, Creative Worker guidance, UT ‘new matter’ ruling

In this issue: Key developments General election announced for 4 July 2024 UK immigration control: how it works Sponsored work Students EU law rights and EU Settlement Scheme Challenging immigration decisions and enforcement Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Key developments Future developments—Immigration calendar Please note our Immigration calendar highlights key upcoming developments relevant to business immigration advisers. General election announced for 4 July 2024 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has sought and secured the King’s consent to dissolve Parliament and has scheduled a general election for 4 July 2024. As a consequence, Parliament will be prorogued on 24 May 2024 and dissolved on 30 May 2024, in line with the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022. This commentary reviews the ramifications of the announcement for bills currently before parliament, alongside the effect on government and public bodies in the period up to the election. See News Analysis: General...

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NEWS
UK public law weekly highlights: general election timetable; Brexit/Windsor Framework; sanctions and other statutory instruments; judicial review on protest powers; Infected Blood Inquiry; information law; procurement; subsidy control

In this issue: General election announced for 4 July 2024 Brexit headlines Brexit SIs Post-Brexit transition guidance Constitutional and administrative law State accountability and liability Judicial review Equality and human rights State security and intelligence Information law Subsidy control and State aid Public procurement Management and strategic planning Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Dates for your diary Trackers Useful information General election announced for 4 July 2024 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sought and obtained the King’s consent to dissolve Parliament, and has set a general election for 4 July 2024. Consequently, Parliament will be prorogued on 24 May 2024 and dissolved on 30 May 2024, in line with the Dissolution and Calling of Parliament Act 2022. This analysis examines the ramifications of the announcement for bills presently before parliament, as well as the effects on government and public bodies through to the...

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NEWS
England and Wales family law weekly: FPR 2024 changes, Cafcass domestic abuse policy, key children, financial remedy, Hague return and enforcement cases—17 October 2024

In this issue: Practice and procedure Relationship breakdown Private children Financial provision Public children International children Enforcement Daily and weekly news alerts Updated content New Q&As Useful information Practice and procedure The Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2024, SI 2024/1016 amend and update the Family Procedure Rules 2010, SI 2010/2955, which, together with accompanying Practice Directions, prescribe the processes and requirements to be used in family cases before the High Court and the Family Court. They take effect in part on 11 November 2024 and in full on 13 January 2025 respectively. See also: LNB News 11/10/2024 15. Conkerton memorial lecture by Mr Justice Cobb: on 10 October 2024, Mr Justice Cobb presented the Conkerton memorial lecture to the Liverpool Law Society in Liverpool, entitled Justice must be seen to be done. Relationship breakdown MyHMCTS: How to apply online for a divorce or dissolution—The practitioner guide for lodging a divorce or...

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View the related Practice Notes about Dissolution order

PRACTICE NOTES
Pre-DDSA 2020: amending divorce and civil partnership petitions and answers; supplemental/further petitions, online limits, permission, service and defective decrees (England and Wales)

The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020) The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020) took effect on 6 April 2022. Proceedings issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022 will be governed by the provisions of DDSA 2020 together with the related procedural alterations under the amended Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955. For further information, see Practice Note: Introduction to the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 and Amended, supplemental and further applications in proceedings issued on or after 6 April 2022 (post-DDSA 2020). By contrast, proceedings issued by the court on or before 5 April 2022 will continue to progress under the pre‑DDSA 2020 law, whether they were lodged via the digital system or submitted using paper forms. Such applications will not be affected by DDSA 2020 coming into force, nor by the consequential alterations to procedure. This document sets out the position for proceedings issued prior to 6 April 2022. Legislative changes have been implemented as a consequence...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Post-DDSA 2020 procedure after service for matrimonial and civil partnership orders: acknowledgements, disputed cases, 20-week period, joint-to-sole switches and conditional order applications (England and Wales)

This Practice Note This Practice Note sets out the actions a respondent should take once served with an application for a matrimonial or civil partnership order in proceedings begun under the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020). It specifies the deadline for filing the acknowledgement of service, clarifies when a case is disputed, and explains the 20‑week period. It also describes the route for an applicant (or joint applicants) to request a conditional order. DDSA 2020 came into effect on 6 April 2022. Proceedings issued by the court on or after 6 April 2022 are governed by DDSA 2020 and by the procedural amendments in the Family Procedure Rules 2010, SI 2010/2955 (FPR 2010). For more on the reforms introduced, see Practice Note: Introduction to the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020. Proceedings issued by the court on or before 5 April 2022 will continue in line with the pre‑DDSA 2020 framework, whether submitted through the His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) online service or using...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Out-of-jurisdiction service in England and Wales family proceedings (post-DDSA 2020): rules, methods, timescales and translations for applications issued on or after 6 April 2022

Practice Note: Service of applications and documents in family proceedings outside the jurisdiction of England and Wales This Practice Note sets out guidance on serving applications for matrimonial or civil partnership orders, and other family proceedings documents, beyond England and Wales. It addresses service in Scotland or Northern Ireland, in states party to the Hague Service Convention, and in all remaining countries, for proceedings started on or after 6 April 2022. It outlines the deadlines for service and for acknowledging service of matrimonial and civil partnership applications, and also considers when a translation is required. For proceedings issued before 6 April 2022, see Practice Note: Service of documents in family proceedings outside the jurisdiction (pre-DDSA 2020). For provisions on serving court documents within the EU before implementation period (IP) completion day (11 pm on 31 December 2020), see: Service on a party in an EU Member State before IP completion day. The rules governing service of application forms/notices and other documents outside the jurisdiction of England and Wales, together...

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PRECEDENTS
Client letter enclosing certificate of entitlement and explaining conditional order, costs discretion, financial orders and timing of final order (no‑fault divorce/dissolution under DDSA 2020, England and Wales)

Dear [ insert client’s name ] Conditional order I confirm receipt of the certificate of entitlement to a conditional order and enclose a copy for your records. As indicated, the court has scheduled [ insert date ] at [ insert time ] for the pronouncement of the conditional order in your case. A conditional order signifies that the court has accepted you are entitled to a [ divorce OR dissolution ], although it has not yet been made final. Such orders are pronounced in open court, meaning the judge reads out a list of the names of those whose applications have reached the conditional order stage...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent letter instructing a Single Joint Expert for pensions valuation, equalisation and sharing/attachment advice in divorce/dissolution financial remedy proceedings (England and Wales)

1 Introduction We write to issue a joint instruction to you, an expert in financial remedy matters arising from [ divorce OR dissolution ] proceedings between [ client’s full name ], born on [ insert date of birth ], and [ spouse/civil partner’s full name ], born on [ insert date of birth ]. Your instruction is joint, from [ lead firm preparing letter ], acting for [ client’s full name ], and from [ name and address of spouse/civil partner’s solicitors ], [ telephone number and email of spouse/civil partner’s solicitors ], on behalf of [ spouse/civil partner’s full name ], on the clear understanding that your expert opinion will be independent of both parties. [ At the first appointment on [ date of first appointment ], District Judge [ name ], sitting in the Family Court at [ location ], made the following order: [ insert exact wording from order ]. ] The parties confirm that you are to be instructed jointly as the single joint expert...

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PRECEDENTS
Family Court Standard Order 2.1: financial remedies template for divorce/dissolution - property, lump sums, maintenance, pensions, undertakings and costs (England and Wales)

In the Family Court sitting at [ court name ] Case No: [ case number ] [ The Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 OR The Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 together with Schedule 7 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004 OR The Civil Partnership Act 2004 OR The Child Support Act 1991 OR The Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 ] Concerning the [ Marriage OR Civil Partnership OR Relationship ] of [ applicant name ] and [ respondent name ] Having heard [ name the advocate(s) who appeared ] Upon reviewing the documents filed by the parties [ [IN THE CASE OF AN ORDER MADE WITHOUT NOTICE] Having read the statements and taken the evidence of the witnesses identified in para [ para number ] of the Recitals below ] Order issued by [ name of judge ] on [ date ], sitting in [ open court OR private ] [ FOLLOWING A [ RESERVED OR WRITTEN OR EX TEMPORE ]...

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Q&As
MVL contingent creditors: delay dissolution or liquidator valuation?

Insolvency Rules 2016 (IR 2016), SI 2016/1024, Part 14 Part 14 of the Insolvency Rules 2016 (SI 2016/1024), which sets out how creditors’ claims are dealt with, also operates in a members’ voluntary liquidation (MVL) by reason of r 14.1(1). That rule confirms that this Part applies to administration, winding up and bankruptcy proceedings, without any restriction confining its operation to insolvent liquidations. What amounts to a provable debt in a winding up (and equally in administration and bankruptcy) is defined by r 14.2(1). Save as otherwise provided in that rule, every creditor’s claim is provable as a debt against the company or the bankrupt, whether the liability is present or future, certain or contingent, ascertained or recoverable only in damages. For further guidance, see Practice Note: Future debts, contingent debts, secured debts...

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Q&As
Disclaimed Headlease (No Vesting): Subtenant Exit & Dilapidations

A person with an interest in property that has been disclaimed (for instance, a sub-tenant) retains that interest on the same terms and subject to the same rights and obligations as if no disclaimer had occurred. If they carry out the tenant’s obligations under the disclaimed lease, they cannot be removed; if they do not, the landlord may distrain or forfeit—as explained by Lord Nicholls in Hindcastle Ltd v Barbara Attenborough Associates Ltd: the sub-tenant’s interest is unaffected by the determination of the tenant’s interest. Thus the sub-tenant holds the estate on identical terms, and remains subject to the same rights and obligations, as would apply if the tenant’s interest had continued. If they pay the rent and perform the tenant covenants in the disclaimed lease, the landlord cannot evict them. If they fail to do so, the landlord may distrain upon their goods for the rent reserved by the disclaimed lease or commence forfeiture proceedings...

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Q&As
Remarriage bar where financial remedy sought but no sealed order

A request for a financial order included within a divorce or dissolution petition/application counts as an application for financial relief for the purposes of section 28(3) of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA 1973) or paragraph 48 of Schedule 5, Part 10 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (CPA 2004) (see Jackson v Jackson). Consequently, to safeguard capital claims, it is not essential to have additionally lodged a Form A before remarriage or before starting a further civil partnership, though it remains sensible practice to do so...

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