Co-respondent
In English law, a co-respondent is, in general, a respondent to a petition, or other legal proceeding, along with another or others, or a person called upon to answer in some other way.[1]
Divorce
More particularly, since the Matrimonial Causes Act 1857, in a petition for divorce on the ground of adultery, a co-respondent is a person charged with misconduct with the petitioner's spouse.
As of 2007, alleged parties to a spouse's adultery must be made co-respondents unless they are not named in the petition or the court directs otherwise.[2][3]
In practice, naming such parties in a divorce petition is discouraged as it may become a barrier to reconciliation. Such parties are only commonly named if the petitioner is seeking costs against them or has some other particular reason.[1][4]
References
- 1 2 Bond et al. (2007) 7.4.19
- ↑ Family Procedure Rules SI1991/1247, r.2.7(1)
- ↑ "Co-respondent", Encyclopaedia Britannica [Anon.] (1911)
- ↑ Law Society (2006)
Bibliography
- Bond, T; et al. (2007). Family Law (Blackstone Legal Practice Course Guides ed.). Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-920545-0.
- Law Society (2006). Family Law Protocol (2nd rev. ed.). London: The Law Society. ISBN 1-85328-984-1.
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This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "article name needed". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.