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Family Law Act 1986
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22 Power of court to refuse application or stay proceedings.N.I.
(1)A court in Northern Ireland which has jurisdiction to make a [F1Part I order] may refuse an application for the order in any case where the matter in question has already been determined in proceedings outside Northern Ireland.
(2)Where, at any stage of the proceedings on an application made to a court in Northern Ireland for a [F1Part I order], or for the variation of a [F1Part I order], F2..., it appears to the court—
(a)that proceedings with respect to the matters to which the application relates are continuing outside Northern Ireland, or
(b)that it would be more appropriate for those matters to be determined in proceedings to be taken outside Northern Ireland, [F3or
(c)that it should exercise its powers under Article 15 of the Council Regulation (transfer to a court better placed to hear the case),]
the court may stay the proceedings on the application [F4or (as the case may be) exercise its powers under Article 15].
(3)The court may remove a stay granted [F5by virtue of subsection (2)(a) or (b) above] if it appears to the court that there has been unreasonable delay in the taking or prosecution of the other proceedings referred to in that subsection, or that those proceedings are stayed, sisted or concluded.
[F6(3A)The court may remove a stay granted under Article 15 of the Council Regulation only in accordance with that Article.]
(4)Nothing in this section [F7so far as it relates to proceedings not governed by the Council Regulation] shall affect any power exercisable apart from this section to refuse an application or to grant or remove a stay.
Textual Amendments
F1Words in s. 22 substituted (14.10.1991) by Children Act 1989 (c. 41, SIF 20), s. 108, Sch. 13 para. 62(2)(a) (with Sch. 14 para. 1(1)); S.I. 1991/828, art. 3(2)
F2Words in s. 22(2) omitted (1.3.2005) by virtue of The European Communities (Jurisdiction and Judgments in Matrimonial and Parental Responsibility Matters) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/265), regs. 1, 15(2) (with reg. 20)
F3S. 22(2)(c) and word inserted (1.3.2005) by The European Communities (Jurisdiction and Judgments in Matrimonial and Parental Responsibility Matters) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/265), regs. 1, 15(3) (with reg. 20)
F4Words in s. 22(2) inserted (1.3.2005) by The European Communities (Jurisdiction and Judgments in Matrimonial and Parental Responsibility Matters) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/265), regs. 1, 15(4) (with reg. 20)
F5Words in s. 22(3) substituted (1.3.2005) by The European Communities (Jurisdiction and Judgments in Matrimonial and Parental Responsibility Matters) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/265), regs. 1, 15(5) (with reg. 20)
F6S. 22(3A) inserted (1.3.2005) by The European Communities (Jurisdiction and Judgments in Matrimonial and Parental Responsibility Matters) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/265), regs. 1, 15(6) (with reg. 20)
F7Words in s. 22(4) inserted (1.3.2005) by The European Communities (Jurisdiction and Judgments in Matrimonial and Parental Responsibility Matters) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2005/265), regs. 1, 15(7) (with reg. 20)
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