Commentary on Sections Part 4 – Civil Partnership: Northern Ireland.Introduction Chapter 2 – Dissolution, Nullity and Other Proceedings Section 164: Proceedings before order has been made final
299.This section provides for the court to consider the position once a conditional order has been made but before it has been made final. By subsection (1), the section applies where the Crown Solicitor, or anyone who has not been a party to the proceedings, shows that that there is cause (good reason) why the conditional order should not be made final on the ground that material facts were not put before the court. By subsection (2), the court may also consider a case under this section where the civil partner who applied for the conditional order has not taken steps to have this made final within 3 months from the earliest date when such an application could have been made, and the other civil partner applies to the court under this section.
300.Where this section applies, the court may make the order final, rescind the order, direct that further enquiries are to be made, or deal with the case in such other manner as it thinks fit. By subsection (4), the court’s power to make the order final applies even if the minimum period under section 161(2) has not yet expired, but is subject to the restrictions imposed in section 172(4) (relating to financial provision in separation cases) and section 186 (restrictions on the making of orders affecting children).