Magistrates’ Courts Act 1980

65 Meaning of domestic proceedings. E+W

(1) In this Act “ [F1 family proceedings]” means proceedings under any of the following enactments, that is to say—

(a) the M1 Maintenance Orders (Facilities for Enforcement) Act 1920;

(b) section 43 F2 of the M2 National Assistance Act 1948;

(c) section 3 of the M3 Marriage Act 1949;

[F3 (ca) Schedule 2 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004;]

(d) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . F4

F5 (e) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F6 (ee) section 35 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973;]

[F7 (ef) paragraphs 69 to 72 of Schedule 5 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004;]

(f) Part I of the M4 Maintenance Orders (Reciprocal Enforcement) Act 1972;

F5 (g) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F8 (h) the Adoption and Children Act 2002;]

(i) section 18 F2 of the M5 Supplementary Benefits Act 1976;

(j) Part I of the M6 Domestic Proceedings and Magistrates" Courts Act 1978;

[F9 (ja) Schedule 6 to the Civil Partnership Act 2004;]

F10 (k) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

(l) section 60 of this Act;

[F11 (m) Part I of the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982, so far as that Part relates to the recognition or enforcement of maintenance orders;]

F12 (m) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F13 (m) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

[F14 (mm) section 55A of the M7 Family Law Act 1986;]

[F15 (n) the Children Act 1989]

[F16 (nza) section 72 or section 79 of the Childcare Act 2006;]

[F17 (na) section 30 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990;]

[F18 (nb)] section 106 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992;

(o) section 20 (so far as it provides, by virtue of an order under section 45 F19 , for appeals to be made to a court) F20 . . . of the Child Support Act 1991; except that, subject to subsection (2) below, it does not include—

(i) proceedings for the enforcement of any order made, confirmed or registered under any of those enactments;

(ii) proceedings for the variation of any provision for the periodical payment of money contained in an order made, confirmed or registered under any of those enactments; or

(iii) proceedings on an information in respect of the commission of an offence under any of those enactments.

[F21 (p) Part IV of the Family Law Act 1996;]

[F22 (q) sections 11 and 12 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998;]

[F23 (r) Council Regulation (EC) No. 44/2001 of 22nd December 2000 on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters [F24 , as amended from time to time and as applied by the Agreement made on 19th October 2005 between the European Community and the Kingdom of Denmark on jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (OJ No. L 299 16.11.2005 at p62)] , so far as that Regulation relates to the recognition or enforcement of maintenance orders;]

[F25 (s) Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27th November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and matters of parental responsibility, so far as that Regulation relates to jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement in parental responsibility matters;]

(2) The court before which there fall to be heard any of the following proceedings, that is to say—

(a) proceedings (whether under this Act or any other enactment) for the enforcement of any order made, confirmed or registered under any of the enactments specified in paragraphs (a) to (k) [F26 (m), (n) and [F27 , (p) and (r)]] of subsection (1) above;

(b) proceeding (whether under this Act or any other enactment) for the variation of any provision for the making of periodical payments contained in an order made, confirmed or registered under any of those enactments;

(c) proceedings for an attachment of earnings order to secure maintenance payments within the meaning of the M8 Attachment of Earnings Act 1971 or for the discharge or variation of such an order; or

(d) proceedings for the enforcement of a maintenance order which is registered in a magistrates’ court under Part II of the M9 Maintenance Orders Act 1950 or Part I of the M10 Maintenance Orders Act 1958 or for the variation of the rate of payments specified by such an order.

[F28 (e) [F29 proceedings under]]section 20 (so far as it provides, by virtue of an order under section 45, for appeals to be made to a court) F20 . . .of the Child Support Act 1991.

may if it thinks fit order that those proceedings and any other proceedings being heard therewith shall, notwithstanding anything in subsection (1) above, be treated as [F1 family proceedings]for the purposes of this Act.

(3) Where the same parties are parties—

(a) to proceedings which are [F1 family proceedings] by virtue of subsection (1) above, and

(b) to proceedings which the court has power to treat as [F1 family proceedings] by virtue of subsection (2) above,

and the proceedings are heard together by a magistrates’ court, the whole of those proceedings shall be treated as [F1 family proceedings]for the purposes of this Act.

(4) No appeal shall lie from the making of, or refusal to make, an order under subsection (2) above.

(5) Until the M11 Adoption Act 1976 comes into force subsection (1) above shall have effect as if for paragraph (h) thereof there were substituted the following paragraph—

“(h) The Adoption Act 1958,the Adoption Act 1960 or Part I of the Children Act 1975, except proceedings under section 42 or 43 of the Adoption Act 1958.”

(6) Until the M12 Child Care Act 1980 comes into force subsection (1) above shall have effect as if for paragraph (k) thereof there were substituted the following paragraph—

“(k) Section 87 or section 88 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 or section 26 of the Children Act 1948.”

Textual Amendments

F1 Words in s. 65(1)(2)(3) substituted (14.10.1991) by Children Act 1989 (c. 41, SIF 20), ss. 92, 108(6), Sch. 11 Pt. II para. 8(c) (with Sch. 14 para. 1(1)); S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

F2 Words repealed by Family Law Reform Act 1987 (c. 42, SIF 49:7), s. 33(2)(4), Sch. 3 paras. 1, 6, Sch. 4

F3 S. 65(1)(ca) inserted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), ss. 261(1), 263, Sch. 27 para. 65(1)(2); S.I. 2005/3175, art. 2, Sch. 1

F4 S. 65(d) repealed by Family Law Reform Act 1987 (c. 42, SIF 49:7), ss. 33(2)(4), Sch. 3 paras. 1, 6, Sch. 4

F5 S. 65(e)(g) repealed (14.10.1991) by Children Act 1989 (c. 41, SIF 20), s. 108(6)(7), Sch. 15 (with Sch. 14 paras. 1(1), 27(4)); S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2).

F6 S. 65(ee) inserted by Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 (c. 42, SIF 49:3), s. 44

F7 S. 65(1)(ef) inserted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), ss. 261(1), 263, Sch. 27 para. 65(1)(3); S.I. 2005/3175, art. 2, Sch. 1

F8 S. 65(1)(h) substituted (30.12.2005) by 2002 c. 38, ss. 139, 148, Sch. 3 para. 37 (with Sch. 4 paras. 6-8);S.I. 2005/2213, art. 2(o)

F9 S. 65(1)(ja) inserted (5.12.2005) by Civil Partnership Act 2004 (c. 33), ss. 261(1), 263, Sch. 27 para. 65(1)(4); S.I. 2005/3175, art. 2, Sch. 1

F10 S. 65(k) repealed (14.10.1991) by Courts and Legal Services Act 1990 (c. 41, SIF 76:1, 82), ss. 116, 125(7), Sch. 16 para. 40, Sch. 20; S.I. 1991/1883, art. 3, Sch.

F11 S. 65(1)(m) commencing “Part I of the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982" inserted (1.1.1987) by Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982 (c. 27, SIF 45:3), s. 15(4), Sch. 12 Pt. I para. 7(a)

F12 S. 65(1)(m) commencing “section 24" (which was added (E.W.S.) (11.4.1988) by Social Security Act 1986 (c. 50, SIF 113:1), s. 86(1), Sch. 10 Pt. II para. 54) repealed (1.7.1992) by Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992 (c. 6), ss. 3, 7(2), Sch. 1 (subject as mentioned in Local Government Finance Act 1992 (c. 14), s. 118)

F13 S. 65(1)(m) commencing 'section 4' (which was inserted (1.4.1989) by Family Law Reform Act 1987 (c. 42, SIF 49:7), s. 33(1)(2), Sch. 2 para. 82, Sch. 3 paras. 1, 6) repealed (14.10.1991) by Children Act 1989 (c. 41, SIF 20), s. 108(6)(7), Sch. 15 (with Sch. 14 paras. 1(1), 27(4)); S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

F14 S. 65(1)(mm) inserted (1.4.2001) by 2000 c. 19, s. 83, Sch. 8 para. 2(2) (with s. 83(6)); S.I. 2001/774, art. 2(b)(c)

F15 S. 65(1)(n) inserted (14.10.1991) by Children Act 1989 (c. 41, SIF 20), ss. 92(11), 108(6), Sch. 11 Pt. II para. 8(a) (with Sch. 14 para. 1(1)); S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)

F16 S. 65(1)(nza) inserted (6.4.2007) by Childcare Act 2006 (c. 21), ss. 103(1), 109, Sch. 2 para. 2; S.I. 2007/1019, art. 4

F17 S. 65(1)(na) inserted (1.4.2005) by Courts Act 2003 (c. 39), ss. 109(1), 110, Sch. 8 para. 214(2); S.I. 2005/910, art. 3(y)

F18 S. 65(1)(n) inserted (1.7.1992) by Social Security (Consequential Provisions) Act 1992 (c. 6), ss. 4, 7(2), Sch. 2 para. 60

F19 S.I. 1993/961 provides for appeals on parentage issues to be made to a court instead of to a child support appeals tribunal.

F20 Words in s. 65(1)(o)(2)(e) repealed (1.4.2001) by 2000 c. 19, s. 85, Sch. 9 Pt. IX (with s. 83(6)); S.I. 2001/774, art. 2(d)

F21 S. 65(1)(p) inserted (1.10.1997) by 1996 c. 27, s. 66(1), Sch. 8 Pt. III para. 49 (with Sch. 9 paras. 8, 9, 10); S.I. 1997/1892, art. 3(1)(b)

F22 S. 65(1)(q) inserted (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s. 119, Sch. 8 para. 42; S.I. 1998/2327, art. 2(1)(y)(2)(o)

F23 S. 65(1)(r) inserted (1.3.2002) by S.I. 2001/3929, arts. 1(b), 5, Sch. 3 para. 11(a)

F24 Words in s. 65(1)(r) inserted (1.7.2007) by The Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Regulations 2007 (S.I. 2007/1655), regs. 1, 5, Sch. para. 9

F25 S. 65(1)(s) inserted (1.3.2005) by The European Communities (Jurisdiction and Judgments in Matrimonial and Parental Responsibility Matters) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/265), art. 4

F26 Words in s. 65(2)(a) substituted (1.10.1997) by virtue of S.I. 1997/1898, art. 2

F27 Words in s. 65(2)(a) substituted (1.3.2002) by S.I. 2001/3929, arts. 1(b), 5, Sch. 3 para. 11(b)

F28 S. 65(2)(e) inserted (5.4.1993) by S.I. 1993/623, art. 3, Sch. 2 para. 2

F29 Words in 65(2)(e) inserted (1.4.2001) by 2000 c. 19, s. 83, Sch. 8 para. 2(3) (with s. 83(6)); S.I. 2001/774, art. 2(b)(c)

Modifications etc. (not altering text)

C1 S. 65 excluded (14.10.1991) by Criminal Justice Act 1991 (c. 53, SIF 39:1), s. 60(3); S.I. 1991/2208, art. 2(1), Sch. 1

S. 65 extended (30.9.1998) by 1998 c. 37, s. 11(6); S.I. 1998/2327, art. 2(1)(c)

Marginal Citations

M1 1920 c. 33.

M2 1948 c. 29.

M3 1949 c. 76

M4 1972 c. 18.

M5 1976 c. 71.

M6 1978 c. 22.

M7 1986 c. 55.

M8 1971 c. 32.

M9 1950 c. 37.

M10 1958 c. 39

M11 1976 c. 36.

M12 1980 c. 5.