{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-proceedings-rules-northern-ireland-1996/rule-2.7",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-proceedings-rules-northern-ireland-1996/rule-2.7.json",
  "legislation": "nisr/1996/322",
  "legislation_title": "The Family Proceedings Rules (Northern Ireland) 1996",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/family-proceedings-rules-northern-ireland-1996",
  "path": "rule/2.7",
  "kind": "rule",
  "number": "2.7",
  "heading": "Conciliation",
  "text": "(1) Where—\n(a) a petition for divorce, nullity of marriage or judicial separation [, or for dissolution, nullity of civil partnership or separation,] has been presented and service on the respondent of the petition has been effected or dispensed with, and\n(b) there are children of the family to whom Article 44 of the Order of 1978 [ or section 186 of the Act of 2004] applies;\nthe Master shall inform the Department with a view to a reference to a suitably qualified person (hereinafter called “the conciliator”) to consider the possibility of conciliating the parties to the marriage [ or civil partnership].\n(2) Where a reference is made under this rule the conciliator, subject to the approval of the Master, may inspect the court file.\n(3) This rule shall not prejudice the right of any party to lodge a certificate of readiness.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f1",
      "text": "Words inserted by S.R. 2005 No. 497 with effect from 05.12.05"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f2",
      "text": "Words inserted by S.R. 2005 No. 497 with effect from 05.12.05"
    },
    {
      "type": "footnote",
      "label": "f3",
      "text": "Words inserted by S.R. 2005 No. 497 with effect from 05.12.05"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/1996/322/rule/2.7",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T02:34:45.513001+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}