Table of Contents

1. Introduction to the Act; 2. What is a civil partnership? Formation by registration in England and Wales: eligibility; 3. Pre-registration procedure: standard procedure; house-bound and detained partners; certain non-residents and other special cases; 4. Registration in England and Wales: the standard procedure; the special procedure; 5. Registration outside the UK by Order in Council; 6. Overseas relationships treated as civil partnerships; 7. Financial and property implications of civil partnership; 8. Children; 9. Relationship between the Civil Partnership Act and the Gender Recognition Act; 10. The ending of the partnership: orders for dissolution; 11. Nullity and other proceedings; 12. Offences; 13. Domestic violence and occupation of the home; 14. Financial consequences on breakdown; 15. Financial relief in England and Wales after an overseas dissolution; 16. Miscellaneous.

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A practical guide for legal practitioners to the Civil Partnership Act for same-sex couples.

About the Author

Paul Mallender is a specialist in family work in the High Court and in all other jurisdictions. His work includes Children Act and child support cases, ancillary relief, judicial separation, nullity, wardship and child abuse. He appears regularly for several local authorities as well as for parents of children in public law cases. His main area of practice is, however, ancillary relief. Jane Rayson was called to the Bar in 1982 and is head of chambers at 2, Gray's Inn Square. She practises exclusively in family law and her work is (broadly) divided equally between children and ancillary relief. Jane is a trustee of the Bar Pro Bono Unit and sits on its management committee. She is a member of the Family Law Bar Association and the International Bar Association.