Act Info:
Preamble1 - DIVORCE ACT, 1869
Chapter 1 Section1 - Short title, commencement of the Act
Section2 - Extent of Act
Section3 - Interpretation-clause
Chapter 2 Section4 - Matrimonial jurisdiction of High Courts to be exercised subject to Act-Exception
Section5 - Enforcement of decrees or orders made heretofore by Supreme Court or High Court
Section6 - Pending suits
Section7 - Court to act on principles of English Divorce Court(Repealed)
Section8 - Extraordinary jurisdiction of High Court
Section9 - Reference to High Court
Chapter 3 Section10 - Grounds for dissolution of marriage
Section10A - Dissolution of marriage by mutual consent
Section11 - Adulterer or adulteress to be co-respondent
Section12 - Court to be satisfied of absence of collusion
Section13 - Dismissal of petition
Section14 - Power to court to pronounce decree for dissolving marriage
Section15 - Relief in case of opposition on certain grounds
Section16 - Decrees for dissolution to be nisi
Section17 - Power of High Court to remove certain suits
Section17A - Appointment of officer to exercise duties of King's Proctor (Repealed)
Chapter 4 Section18 - Petition for decree of nullity
Section19 - Grounds of decree
Section20 - Confirmation of District Judge's decree (Repealed)
Section21 - Children of annulled marriage
Chapter 5 Section22 - Bar to decree for divorce a mensa et toro; but judicial separation obtainable by husband or wife
Section23 - Application for separation made by petition
Section24 - Separated wife deemed spinster with respect to after-acuqired property
Section25 - Separated wife deemed spinster for purposes of contract and suing
Section26 - Reversal of Decree of Separation: Decree of separation obtained during absence of husband or wife may be reversed
Chapter 6 Section27 - Deserted wife may apply to court for protection
Section28 - Court may grant protection-order
Section29 - Discharge or variation of orders
Section30 - Liability of husband seizing wife's property after notice of order
Section31 - Wife's legal position during continuance of order
Chapter 7 Section32 - Petition for restitution of conjugal rights
Section33 - Answer to petition
Chapter 8 Section34 - Husband may claim damages from adulterer(Repealed)
Section35 - Power to order adulterer to pay costs(Repealed)
Chapter 9 Section36 - Alimony pendente lite
Section37 - Power to order permanent alimony
Section38 - Court may direct payment of alimony to wife or to her trustee
Chapter 10 Section39 - Power to order sittlement of wife's property for benefit of husband and children (Repealed)
Section40 - Inquiry into existence of ante-nuptial or post-nuptial settlements
Chapter 11 Section41 - Power to make orders as to custody of children in suit for separation
Section42 - Power to make such orders after decree
Section43 - Power to make orders as to custody of children in suits for dissolution or nullity
Section44 - Power to make such orders after decree or confirmation
Chapter 12 Section45 - Code of Civil Procedure to apply
Section46 - Forms of petitions and statements
Section47 - Petition to state absence of collusion
Section48 - Suits on behalf of lunatics
Section49 - Suits by minors
Section50 - Service of petition
Section51 - Mode of taking evidence
Section52 - Competence of husband and wife to give evidence as to cruelty or desertion
Section53 - Power to close doors
Section54 - Power to adjourn
Section55 - Enforcement of, and appeal from, orders and decree
Section56 - Appeal to the Supreme Court
Chapter 13 Section57 - Liberty to parties to marry again
Section58 - English clergyman not compelled to solemnize marriages of persons divorced for adultery
Section59 - English Minister refusing to perform ceremony to permit use of his Church
Chapter 14 Section60 - Decree for separation or protection-order valid as to persons dealing with wife before reversal
Section61 - Bar of suit for criminal conversation
Section62 - Power to make rules
Schedule1 - SCHEDULE OF FORMS