Standard Orders

Announcement from Mr Justice Mostyn, Judge in charge of the standard orders.

I make this announcement with the authority of the President.

On 6 April 2022 the Divorce Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 comes into force. Among many other things, this makes changes to the terminology used in divorce, dissolution, nullity and separation proceedings so that, for example, a petition is replaced by an application, a decree nisi by a conditional divorce order and a decree absolute by a final divorce order.

This has necessitated changes to be made to Orders Nos 1.1, 1.2 and 2.1.

Amended versions of these orders are attached to this notice. They take effect on 6 April 2022. Also attached is a zip file of Volume 1 of the standard orders in their up-to-date form.

The revised orders assume that the case in question is either one of divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership. Thus, they refer to “the final [divorce] / [dissolution] order” and “the conditional [divorce] / [dissolution] order”. If the case is one of nullity those references should be altered to “the final nullity order” and “the conditional nullity order”. If the case is one of judicial separation the references should be altered to “the judicial separation order”. If the case is one of a separation order under section 56 Civil Partnership Act 2004 the references should be altered to “the separation order”.

All further amendments will await the full review of the standard orders, the work on which is now underway, the consultation period having concluded on 28 February 2022.

Download the guidance here: Judiciary UK