The Family Law (Northern Ireland) Order 1993

Marriage between certain persons related by affinity not to be void

4.—(1) Article 18 of the Family Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1984(1) (prohibited degrees of relationship) shall have effect subject to the following provisions of this Article, being provisions so as to permit—

(a) the marriage of a man and a woman who is the grandmother of a former spouse of his or is a former spouse of his grandson;

(b) the marriage of a woman and a man who is the grandfather of a former spouse of hers or is a former spouse of her grand-daughter; and

(c) under certain conditions, the marriage of persons related in certain other degrees of affinity.

(2) In paragraph (1) after “column of” where it twice occurs there shall be inserted “Part I of”.

(3) In paragraph (1), in the Table,—

(a) after “Table” there shall be inserted—

“PART I Prohibited degrees of relationship;”

(b) in the first column the words from “Wife’s mother” to “Daughter’s son’s wife” are hereby repealed;

(c) in the second column the words from “Husband’s father” to “Daughter’s daughter’s husband” are hereby repealed;

(d) at the end there shall be added—

“PART II Degrees of affinity referred to in paragraphs (2A) and (2B)

Daughter of former wife	Son of former husband
Former wife of father	Former husband of mother
Former wife of father’s father	Former husband of father’s mother
Former wife of mother’s father	Former husband of mother’s mother
Daughter of son of former wife	Son of son of former husband
Daughter of daughter of former wife	Son of daughter of former husband

PART III Degrees of affinity referred to in paragraphs (2C) and (2D)

Mother of former wife	Father of former husband
Former wife of son	Former husband of daughter”.

(4) In paragraph (2)(c) at the beginning there shall be inserted “in Part II,”.

(5) After paragraph (2) there shall be inserted—

“(2A) Subject to paragraph (2B), a marriage solemnized between a man and any of the persons mentioned in the first column of Part II of that Table, or between a woman and any of the persons mentioned in the second column of that Part II, is void.

(2B) Any such marriage as is mentioned in paragraph (2A) is not void by reason only of affinity if both the parties to the marriage have attained the age of 21 at the time of the marriage and the younger party has not at any time before attaining the age of 18 been a child of the family in relation to the other party.

(2C) Subject to paragraph (2D), a marriage solemnized between a man and any of the persons mentioned in the first column of Part III of that Table, or between a woman and any of the persons mentioned in the second column of that Part III, is void.

(2D) Any such marriage as is mentioned in paragraph (2C) is not void by reason only of affinity if both the parties to the marriage have attained the age of 21 at the time of the marriage and the marriage is solemnized—

(a) in the case of a marriage between a man and the mother of a former wife of his, after the death of both the former wife and the father of the former wife;

(b) in the case of a marriage between a man and the former wife of his son, after the death of both his son and the mother of his son;

(c) in the case of a marriage between a woman and the father of a former husband of hers, after the death of both the former husband and the mother of the former husband;

(d) in the case of a marriage between a woman and a former husband of her daughter, after the death of both her daughter and the father of her daughter.

(2E) In this Article “child of the family”, in relation to any person, means a child who has lived in the same household as that person and been treated by that person as a child of his family.”.

(6) In paragraph (3) for “paragraph (1) applies” there shall be substituted “paragraph (1), (2A) or (2C) applies or a marriage to which paragraph (2B) or (2D) applies”.

(7) Nothing in this Article shall affect any marriage solemnized before this Article comes into operation.

(1)

1984 NI 14