Family Law Reform Act 1969
The Family Law Reform Act 1969 is an Act of Parliament amending various aspects of Family Law in English Law. The Act is in four parts.
Long title | An Act to amend the law relating to the age of majority, to persons who have not attained that age and to the time when a particular age is attained; to amend the law relating to the property rights of illegitimate children and of other persons whose relationship is traced through an illegitimate link; to make provision for the use of blood tests for the purpose of determining the paternity of any person in civil proceedings; to make provision with respect to the evidence required to rebut a presumption of legitimacy and illegitimacy; to make further provision, in connection with the registration of the birth of an illegitimate child, for entering the name of the father; and for connected purposes. |
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Citation | 1969 c.46 |
Territorial extent | England and Wales |
Dates | |
Royal assent | 25 July 1969 |
Commencement | 25 July 1969 |
Status: Amended | |
Text of statute as originally enacted | |
Revised text of statute as amended | |
Text of the Family Law Reform Act 1969 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. |
PART I – Reduction of Age of Majority and Related Provisions
Part I[1] deals with the reduction of the Age of Majority in England and Wales from 21 to 18. Provides provision for the Parliament of Northern Ireland to enact similar legislation
PART II – Property Rights of Illegitimate Children
Part II[2] has mostly been repealed by subsequent legislation
S19.[3] Policies of assurance and property in industrial and provident societies, provides rights to illegitimate children under the Married Women's Property Act 1882 and the Married Women's Policies of Assurance (Scotland) Act 1880
PART III – Provisions for user of Blood Tests in Determining Paternity
PArt III[4] provides the Courts with the power to compel the taking of blood tests to determine paternity of a child.
PART IV – Miscellaneous and General
Part IV[5] Allows for the rebuttal of legal presumptions of legitimacy or illegitimacy with evidence of probability that a person is legitimate or illegitimate