{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/matrimonial-causes-act-1973/section-49",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/matrimonial-causes-act-1973/section-49.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1973/18",
  "legislation_title": "Matrimonial Causes Act 1973",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/matrimonial-causes-act-1973",
  "path": "section/49",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "49",
  "heading": "Parties to proceedings under this Act.",
  "text": "(1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(2) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .\n(4) Rules of court may make provision... with respect to the joinder as parties to proceedings under this Act of persons involved in allegations of ... improper conduct made in those proceedings, and with respect to the dismissal from such proceedings of any parties so joined; and rules of court made by virtue of this subsection may make different provision for different cases.\n(5) In every case in which the court considers, in the interest of any person not already a party to the suit, that that person should be made a party to the suit, the court may if it thinks fit allow that person to intervene upon such terms, if any, as the court thinks just.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "S. 49(1)-(3) omitted (6.4.2022) by virtue of Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (c. 11), s. 8(1)(8), Sch. para. 31(2) (with s. 8(4)(5)); S.I. 2022/283, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F2",
      "text": "Words in s. 49(4) omitted (6.4.2022) by virtue of Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (c. 11), s. 8(1)(8), Sch. para. 31(3)(a) (with s. 8(4)(5)); S.I. 2022/283, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F3",
      "text": "Words in s. 49(4) omitted (6.4.2022) by virtue of Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (c. 11), s. 8(1)(8), Sch. para. 31(3)(b) (with s. 8(4)(5)); S.I. 2022/283, reg. 2"
    },
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F4",
      "text": "Words in s. 49(5) substituted (6.4.2022) by Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (c. 11), s. 8(1)(8), Sch. para. 31(4) (with s. 8(4)(5)); S.I. 2022/283, reg. 2"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1973/18/section/49",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T10:47:46.859204+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."
}