Matrimonial Causes Act 1973

Sections and provisions with full text and the judgments that cite each one.

Section 29 — Duration of continuing financial provision orders in favour of children, and age limit on making certain orders in their favour.

Duration of continuing financial provision orders in favour of children, and age limit on making certain orders in their favour. 29 1 Subject to subsection (3) below, no financial provision order and…

Section 30 — Direction for settlement of instrument for securing payments or effecting property adjustment.

Direction for settlement of instrument for securing payments or effecting property adjustment. 30 Where the court decides to make a financial provision order requiring any payments to be secured or a…

Section 31 — Variation, discharge, etc., of certain orders for financial relief.

Variation, discharge, etc., of certain orders for financial relief. 31 1 Where the court has made an order to which this section applies, then, subject to the provisions of this section and of…

Section 32 — Payment of certain arrears unenforceable without the leave of the court.

Payment of certain arrears unenforceable without the leave of the court. 32 1 A person shall not be entitled to enforce through the High Court or the family court the payment of any arrears due under…

Section 33 — Orders for repayment in certain cases of sums paid under certain orders.

Orders for repayment in certain cases of sums paid under certain orders. 33 1 Where on an application made under this section in relation to an order to which this section applies it appears to the…

Section 33A — Consent orders for financial provision or property adjustment.

Consent orders for financial provision or property adjustment. 33A 1 Notwithstanding anything in the preceding provisions of this Part of this Act, on an application for a consent order for financial…

Section 34 — Validity of maintenance agreements.

Validity of maintenance agreements. 34 1 If a maintenance agreement includes a provision purporting to restrict any right to apply to a court for an order containing financial arrangements, then— a…

Section 35 — Alteration of agreements by court during lives of parties.

Alteration of agreements by court during lives of parties. 35 1 Where a maintenance agreement is for the time being subsisting and each of the parties to the agreement is for the time being either…

Section 36 — Alteration of agreements by court after death of one party.

Alteration of agreements by court after death of one party. 36 1 Where a maintenance agreement within the meaning of section 34 above provides for the continuation of payments under the agreement…

Section 37 — Avoidance of transactions intended to prevent or reduce financial relief.

Avoidance of transactions intended to prevent or reduce financial relief. 37 1 For the purposes of this section “ financial relief ” means relief under any of the provisions of sections 22, 23, 24,…

Section 38 — Orders for repayment in certain cases of sums paid after cessation of order by reason of remarriage or formation of civil partnership .

Orders for repayment in certain cases of sums paid after cessation of order by reason of remarriage or formation of civil partnership . 38 1 Where— a a periodical payments or secured periodical…

Section 39 — Settlement, etc. made in compliance with a property adjustment order may be avoided on bankruptcy of settlor.

Settlement, etc. made in compliance with a property adjustment order may be avoided on bankruptcy of settlor. 39 The fact that a settlement or transfer of property had to be made in order to comply…

Section 40 — Payments, etc., under order made in favour of person suffering from mental disorder.

Payments, etc., under order made in favour of person suffering from mental disorder. 40 1 Where the court makes an order under this Part of this Act requiring payments (including a lump sum payment)…

Section 40A — Appeals relating to pension sharing orders which have taken effect.

Appeals relating to pension sharing orders which have taken effect. 40A 1 Subsections (2) and (3) below apply where an appeal against a pension sharing order is begun on or after the day on which the…

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Section 43 — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Section 44 — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Section 45 — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Section 46 — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Section 47 — Matrimonial relief and declarations of validity in respect of polygamous marriages.

Matrimonial relief and declarations of validity in respect of polygamous marriages. 47 1 A court in England and Wales shall not be precluded from granting matrimonial relief or making a declaration…

Section 48 — Evidence.

Evidence. 48 1 The evidence of a husband or wife shall be admissible in any proceedings to prove that marital intercourse did or did not take place between them during any period. 2 In any…

Section 49 — Parties to proceedings under this Act.

Parties to proceedings under this Act. 49 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 . . . . . . . . . . . .…

Section 50 — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Section 51 — . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Section 52 — Interpretation.

Interpretation. 52 1 In this Act— ... “ child ”, in relation to one or both of the parties to a marriage, includes an illegitimate ... child of that party or, as the case may be, of both parties; “…

Section 52A — Interpretation of certain references to divorce orders, nullity of marriage orders and judicial separation orders

Interpretation of certain references to divorce orders, nullity of marriage orders and judicial separation orders 52A 1 In sections 21(2), 23(1) and (5), 24(1) and (3), 24A(3), 24B(1) and (2), 24E(1)…