Civil Partnership Act 2004

Restriction of powers under paragraph 9 where jurisdiction depends on civil partnership home in Northern Ireland

11 (1) Sub-paragraphs (2) to (4) apply where the court has jurisdiction to entertain an application for an order under paragraph 9 only because a dwelling-house which was a civil partnership home of the civil partners is situated in Northern Ireland.

(2) The court may make under paragraph 9 any one or more of the following orders (but no other)—

(a) an order that one of the civil partners shall pay to the other a specified lump sum;

(b) an order that one of the civil partners shall pay to a child of the family, or to a specified person for the benefit of a child of the family, a specified lump sum;

(c) an order that one of the civil partners shall transfer that civil partner’s interest in the dwelling-house, or a specified part of that interest—

(i) to the other,

(ii) to a child of the family, or

(iii) to a specified person for the benefit of a child of the family;

(d) an order that a settlement of the interest of one of the civil partners in the dwelling-house, or a specified part of that interest, be made to the satisfaction of the court for the benefit of any one or more of—

(i) the other civil partner and the children of the family, or

(ii) either or any of them;

(e) an order varying for the benefit of any one or more of—

(i) the civil partners and the children of the family, or

(ii) either or any of them,

a relevant settlement so far as that settlement relates to an interest in the dwelling-house;

(f) an order extinguishing or reducing the interest of either of the civil partners under a relevant settlement so far as that interest is an interest in the dwelling-house;

(g) an order for the sale of the interest of one of the civil partners in the dwelling-house.

(3) Where under paragraph 9 the court makes just one order for the payment of a lump sum by one of the civil partners, the amount of the lump sum must not exceed the amount specified in sub-paragraph (5).

(4) Where under paragraph 9 the court makes two or more orders each of which is an order for the payment of a lump sum by the same civil partner, the total of the amounts of the lump sums must not exceed the amount specified in sub-paragraph (5).

(5) That amount is—

(a) if the interest of the paying civil partner in the dwelling-house is sold in pursuance of an order made under sub-paragraph (2)(g), the amount of the proceeds of sale of that interest after deducting from those proceeds any costs incurred in the sale of that interest;

(b) if that interest is not so sold, the amount which in the opinion of the court represents the value of that interest.

(6) Where the interest of one of the civil partners in the dwelling-house is held jointly or in common with any other person or persons—

(a) the reference in sub-paragraph (2)(g) to the interest of one of the civil partners shall be construed as including a reference to the interest of that other person, or the interest of those other persons, in the dwelling-house, and

(b) the reference in sub-paragraph (5)(a) to the amount of the proceeds of a sale ordered under sub-paragraph (2)(g) shall be construed as a reference to that part of those proceeds which is attributable to the interest of that civil partner in the dwelling-house.

(7) In sub-paragraph (2)—

• “relevant settlement” means a settlement made, during the subsistence of the civil partnership or in anticipation of its formation, on the civil partners, including one made by will or codicil;

• “specified” means specified in the order.