Explanatory note

These Rules amend the Rules of the Supreme Court (Northern Ireland) 1980 as follows:

Rule 2 amends Order 1, rule 12 to assign to the Family Division:

• all causes and matters in relation to dissolution or annulment of a civil partnership, legal separation of civil partners, a presumption of death order and related matters;

• proceedings under sections 6 (errors in certificates) and 8 (appeals etc.) of the Gender Recognition Act 2004;

• proceedings under section 181 (declarations) of, and Schedule 17 (financial relief after overseas dissolution etc. of a civil partnership) to, the Civil Partnership Act 2004; and

• proceedings under Council Regulation (EC) No. 2201/2003 of 27th November 2003 concerning jurisdiction and the recognition and enforcement of judgments in matrimonial matters and matters of parental responsibility, so far as that Regulation relates to jurisdiction, recognition and enforcement in parental responsibility matters.

Rule 3 provides for a new Form 24 (Writ of subpoena) and a new Form 25 (Writ of subpoena: proceedings in chambers) to be inserted in Appendix A of the Rules. These forms notify the recipient of a subpoena of the right to apply to the court to have the subpoena set aside.