Act of Sederunt (Child Care and Maintenance Rules) 1997

Protection of identity of petitioners

2.50—(1) Where a married couple, who seek to apply for a parental order, wish to prevent their identity being disclosed to any person whose agreement is required under section 30(5) of the 1990 Act, they may, before presenting a petition, apply to the sheriff clerk for a serial number to be assigned to them.

(2) On receipt of an application for a serial number, the sheriff clerk shall assign a serial number to the applicants and shall enter a note of it opposite the names of the applicants in a register of serial numbers.

(3) Where a serial number has been assigned under paragraph (2)–

(a) the record of the serial number and the persons to whom it applies shall be treated as confidential and disclosed only to the sheriff;

(b) any agreement under section 30(5) of the 1990 Act shall not name or design the petitioners but shall refer to them by means of the serial number; and

(c) it shall be used to name or design the petitioners for all purposes connected with the petition.