Section 48 — Family Law Act 1975: Divorce

(1) An application under this Act for a divorce order in relation to a marriage shall be based on the ground that the marriage has broken down irretrievably. (2) Subject to subsection (3), in a proceeding instituted by such an application, the ground shall be held to have been established, and the divorce order shall be made, if, and only if, the court is satisfied that the parties separated and thereafter lived separately and apart for a continuous period of not less than 12 months immediately preceding the date of the filing of the application for the divorce order. (3) A divorce order shall not be made if the court is satisfied that there is a reasonable likelihood of cohabitation being resumed.