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Welcome
Welcome to the Second of our quarterly newsletters. We hope you find
the information provided helpful to your personal circumstances.
Through this newsletter we will do our best to keep you informed
of important legal developments and send you vital links for you read
on a regular basis.
We would like to hear your views on this issue of our newsletter
as well as what other information may interest you. We would be
grateful if your would give us your feedback via our e-mail link on info@northwoodlaw.com
Northwood Law
We are established as a
reliable and trusted Law Practice with over 10 years experience in
dealing with a variety of cases. We also offer Legal Aid work in all
areas of Law and we specialise in Family and Housing as well as court
disputes. For more details on the services we offer please visit our web
site at www.northwoodlaw.com
Forced
Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007
A law
that protects victims and potential victims of forced marriage will
come into effect next autumn as confirmed by Justice Minister Bridget
Prentice.
The new law will enable courts to make orders to prevent forced
marriages and to order the behaviour or conduct of those responsible
for forcing another into marriage to change or stop or to impose
requirements on them. It also provides recourse for those already
forced into marriage. Failure to comply could lead to imprisonment.
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Bridget
Prentice, minister at the Ministry of Justice said:
“This legislation sends
out a clear message that forced marriage, a breach of an individual's
basic right to choose who and when they marry, is not acceptable in our
society. It will enable us to make better use of civil court remedies
to provide protection to those placed in this intolerable
position.”
The Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 gives the courts a wide
discretion to deal flexibly and sensitively with the circumstances of
each individual case. It employs civil remedies that offer protection
to victims without criminalising members of their family.
The
first phase of implementation of the Act will enable people to apply
for an order at specified County Courts, rather than just the High
Courts.
The
Act protects people from being denied their fundamental right to choose
the person they want to marry and gives those in such a situation the
power to move away.
Victims of forced marriage are often unable to protect themselves and
the Act enables others to apply to court for protection on the victim's
behalf.
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