Part 4Civil partnership: Northern Ireland

Chapter 2Dissolution, nullity and other proceedings

Nullity

174Grounds on which civil partnership is voidable

1

Where two people register as civil partners of each other in Northern Ireland, the civil partnership is voidable if—

a

either of them did not validly consent to its formation (whether as a result of duress, mistake, unsoundness of mind or otherwise);

b

at the time of its formation either of them, though capable of giving a valid consent, was suffering (whether continuously or intermittently) from mental disorder of such a kind or to such an extent as to be unfitted for civil partnership;

c

at the time of its formation, the respondent was pregnant by some person other than the applicant;

d

an interim gender recognition certificate under the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (c. 7) has, after the time of its formation, been issued to either civil partner;

e

the respondent is a person whose gender at the time of its formation had become the acquired gender under the 2004 Act.

2

In this section and section 175 “mental disorder” has the same meaning as in the Mental Health (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 (S.I. 1986/595 (N.I. 4)).