Explanatory Notes

Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014

2014 asp 5

12 March 2014

Schedules

Schedule 1: Jurisdiction in proceedings relating to same sex marriages

Nullity of marriage

235.Paragraph 5(1) of Schedule 1B provides that the Court of Session is able to deal with declarators of nullity of a same marriage where (a) the Scottish courts have jurisdiction under regulations made under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1B or (b) no court has jurisdiction under the regulations and either party to the marriage is (i) domiciled in Scotland when the action is raised or (ii) dead and at death had been domiciled in Scotland or had been habitually resident in Scotland for a year immediately preceding the death.

236.Under paragraph 5(2), the sheriff court has jurisdiction in these cases when either (a) or (b) above is met and either party to the marriage:

237.In addition, Edinburgh sheriff court has jurisdiction if the couple married in Scotland, no court has jurisdiction under regulations made under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1B and it appears to the court in the interests of justice for it to deal with the case. This is referred to in paragraph 222 above as “jurisdiction of last resort”.