Part I Child Custody
Chapter II Jurisdiction of Courts in England and Wales
5 Power of court to refuse application or stay proceedings.
1
2
Where, at any stage of the proceedings on an application made to a court in England and Wales for a F1custody orderF1Part I order, or for the variation of a F1custody orderF1Part I order, it appears to the court—
a
that proceedings with respect to the matters to which the application relates are continuing outside England and Wales, or
b
that it would be more appropriate for those matters to be determined in proceedings to be taken outside England and Wales,
the court may stay the proceedings on the application.
3
The court may remove a stay granted in accordance with subsection (2) 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.
4
Nothing in this section shall affect any power exercisable apart from this section to refuse an application or to grant or remove a stay.