# The Family Proceedings Rules (Northern Ireland) 1996, Rule 2.12: Consent to the grant of a decree [or civil partnership order ]

Extent: N.I.

(1) Where, before the hearing of a petition alleging 2 years’ separation coupled with the respondent’s consent to a decree [ or civil partnership order] being granted, the respondent wishes to indicate to the court that he consents to the grant of a decree [ or civil partnership order], he must do so by giving the Master a notice to that effect signed by the respondent personally. For the purposes of this paragraph an acknowledgement of service containing a statement that the respondent consents to the grant of a decree [ or civil partnership order] shall be treated as such a notice if the acknowledgement is signed—
(a) in the case of a acting in person, by the respondent, or
(b) in the case of a respondent represented by a solicitor, by the respondent as well as by the solicitor.
(2) A respondent to a petition which alleges any such fact as is mentioned in paragraph (1) may give notice to the court either that he does not consent to a decree [ or civil partnership order] being granted or that he withdraws any consent which he has already given.
Where any such notice is given and [ no other relevant fact] is alleged, the proceedings on the petition shall be stayed and the Master shall thereupon give notice of the stay to all parties.
[(3 In this rule a “relevant fact” is—
(a) in a matrimonial cause, one of the facts mentioned in Article 3(2) of the Order of 1978, and
(b) in a civil partnership cause, one of the facts mentioned in section 168(5) of the Act of 2004.]

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/1996/322/rule/2.12 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/family-proceedings-rules-northern-ireland-1996/rule-2.12
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.