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MATRIMONIAL CAUSES ACT
ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS
PART I
Jurisdiction SECTION
- Institution of matrimonial causes proceedings only under this Act.
- Jurisdiction in matrimonial causes.
- Void marriages and prohibited degrees of consanguinity.
- Marriage of persons within prohibited degrees of affinity.
- Voidable marriages.
- Validity, etc., of certain marriages not affected.
- Special provisions as to wife's domicile.
- Law to be applied.
- Staying and transferring of proceedings.
- Courts to aid one another. PART II Matrimonial relief Reconciliation
- Reconciliation.
- Hearing when reconciliation fails.
- Statements, etc., made in course of attempt to effect reconciliation.
- Marriage conciliator to take oath of secrecy. Dissolution of marriage
- Grounds for dissolution of marriage.
- Provisions supplementary to section 15.
- Additional provisions to encourage reconciliation.
- Constructi ve desertion.
- Refusal to resume cohabitation.
- Desertion continuing after insanity.
- Restriction on finding of non‐consummation.
- Aggregation of concurrent sentences in reckoning imprisonment.
- Restriction on finding of non‐maintenance.
- Restriction on finding of insanity.
- Power to refuse to make decree without maintenance, etc., in proper case.
- Condonation and connivance.
- Collusion.
Matrimonial Causes Act SECTION
- Discretionary bars.
- No dissolution where petition for nullity before court.
- Petition within two years of marriage.
- Claim for damages.
- Joinder of adulterers, etc.
- Effect of dissolution of maniage. Nullity of marriage
- Ground for decree of nullity of marriage.
- Who may institute proceedings.
- Incapacity to consummate maniage.
- Restrictions on certain grounds.
- Effect of decree of nullity of a voidable marriage. Judicial separation
- Grounds for judicial separation. 40.Application to judicial separation of sundry sections of this Part.
- Effect of decree of judicial separation.
- Effect on rights to sue, devolution of property, etc.
- Exercise of joint powers not affected.
- Decree of judicial separation not to bar subsequent proceedings for dissolution of maniage.
- Discharge of decree of judicial separation on resumption of cohabitation.
- Application of sections 41 to 45 to certain decrees. Restitution of conjugal rights
- Ground for decree of restitution of conjugal rights.
- Agreement for separation.
- Sincerity of petitioner.
- Notice as to home.
- Enforcement of decree. Jactitation of marriage
- Ground for decree of jactitation of marriage, and discretion of court. General
- Facts, etc., occurring before commencement of Act or outside Nigeria.
- Institution of proceedings.
- Duty of court.
- Decree nisi in first instance.
- Decree absolute where children under sixteen years, etc.
- When decree becomes absolute.
- Certificate as to decree absolute.
- Rescission of decree nisi where parties are reconciled, etc.
- Rescission of decree nisi on ground of miscarriage of justice. Intervention
- Intervention by Attorney‐General on request from court.
- Intervention of Attorney‐General in other cases.
- Delegation by Attorney‐General.
- Intervention by other persons.
- Pending proceedings generally.
- Continuance of proceedings for dissolution or nullity of marriage, or judicial separation.
- Application of this Act to pending proceedings for dissolution or nullity of marriage, or judicial separation.
- Continuance of other pending proceedings.
- Special provisions as to pending appeals or existing rights to appeal.
- Decrees of restitution of conjugal rights under previous law. PART X Miscellaneous SECTION
- Hearings to be in open court.
- Proceedings to be heard by judge alone.
- Transactions intended to defeat claims.
- Service of process.
- Position of clergy as to re‐marriage.
- Restriction on publication of evidence.
- Injunctions.
- Costs.
- Frivolous or vexatious proceedings.
- Rules of court.
- Savings for sundry domestic and foreign decrees, etc.
- Interpretation.
- Short title. FIRST SCHEDULE Prohibited degrees of consanguinity and affinity SECOND SCHEDULE Oath or affirmation by marriage conciliator THIRD SCHEDULE Enforcement of orders for maintenance MATRIMONIAL CAUSES ACT An Act to make provisions for matrimonial causes. [1970 No. 18.] [17th March, 1970] [Commencement. ] PART I Jurisdiction 1.Institution of matrimonial cause proceedings only under this Act (1) After the commencement of this Act, a matrimonial cause shall not be instituted otherwise than under this Act.
(2) If a matrimonial cause has been instituted before the commencement of this Act but not completed, it shall be continued and dealt with only in accordance with the provi‐ sions of this Act. (3) Where before or after the commencement of this Act a matrimonial cause has been or is instituted, and whether or not it has been completed, proceedings in relation thereto for any relief or order of a kind that could be sought under this Act shall be insti‐ tuted after the commencement of this Act only under this Act, so however that, subject to the succeeding provisions of this and the next section‐‐ (a) any jurisdiction of a court of summary jurisdiction of a State or of a court of appeal from such a court, under the law of that State, to make— (i) orders with respect to the maintenance of wives or children or the custody of or access to children; or (ii) separation orders or other orders having the effect of relieving a party to a marriage from any obligation to cohabit with the other party, shall not be affected by this Act or any proceedings thereunder; and (b) proceedings for or in respect of such an order, or for its enforcement, may be continued or instituted as if this Act had not been made. (4) Where a marriage is dissolved or annulled by a decree of a court of cornpetent ju‐ risdiction under this Act‐ (a) any jurisdiction of such a court or of a court on appeal from such a court, to make orders of the kind specified in subsection (3) (a) of this section shall, by virtue of this subsection, cease to be applicable in relation to the parties to the marriage or the children of the marriage; and (b) any order of that kind (unless it is a maintenance order, when subsection (6) of this section will apply) made by such a court in relation to those parties or children shall cease to have effect. (5) A court in the exercise of its jurisdiction under this Act may at any time by order direct that an order of the kind specified in subsection (3) (a) of this section made by a court of summary jurisdiction, or by a court on appeal from such a court, shall cease to have effect; and that order shall cease to have effect accordingly. (6) Where an order of the kind specified in subsection (3) (a) of this section made with respect to the maintenance of a wife or of children ceases to have effect under sub‐ section (4) or (5) of this section, the order made may, in so far as it relates to any period before it so ceased to have effect, be enforced as if this Act had not been made.
2. Jurisdiction in matrimonial causes (1) Subject to this Act, a person may institute a matrimonial cause under this Act in the High Court of any State of the Federation; and for that purpose the High Court of each State of the Federation shall have jurisdiction to hear and determine‐‐ (a) matrimonial causes instituted under this Act; and (b) matrimonial causes (not being matrimonial causes to which section 101 of this Act applies) continued in accordance with the provisions of Part IX of this Act, so however that jurisdiction under this Act in respect of matrimonial causes within this paragraph shall be restricted to the court in which the matrimonial cause was instituted, and in any case where maintenance is ordered in proceedings in a High Court, a court of summary jurisdiction in any State shall have jurisdiction to enforce payment in summary manner. (2) Proceedings for a decree‐‐
(3) Where persons marry in pursuance of permission granted under this section, the validity of their marriage shall not be affected by the fact that they are within the prohib‐ ited degrees of affinity. (4) The President may arrange with the Governor of a State for the performance by judges of the High Court of that State of functions under this section. (5) In this section, "judge" means a judge in respect of whom an arrangement made under subsection (4) of this section is applicable. (6) Rules made under section 112 of this Act may make provision for the practice and procedure in and in connection with applications under this section, and may include provision for or in relation to the summoning of witnesses, the production of documents, the taking of evidence on oath or affirmation, and the payment of expenses of witnesses.
5. Voidable marriage (1) Subject to this Act, a marriage that takes place after the commencement of this Act not being a marriage that is void, shall be voidable in the following cases but not oth‐ erwise, that is to say, where at the time of marriage‐‐‐‐ (a) either party to the marriage is incapable of consummating the marriage; (b) either party to the marriage is‐‐ (i) of unsound mind; or (ii) a mental defective; or (iii) subject to recurrent attacks of insanity or epilepsy; (c) either party to the marriage is suffering from a venereal disease in a communic‐ able form; or (d) the wife is pregnant by a person other than the husband. (2) For the purposes of this section, "mental defective" means a person who, owing to an arrested or incomplete development of mind, whether arising from inherent causes or induced by disease or injury, requires oversight, care or control for his own protection or for the protection of others and is, by reason of that fact, unfitted for the responsibili‐ ties of marriage. 6. Validity, etc., of certain marriages not affected (1) Save as expressly provided in this Part of this Act, nothing in this Part shall affect the validity or invalidity of a marriage that took place before the commencement of this Act. (2) A provision of this Act shall not affect the validity or invalidity of a marriage where it would not be in accordance with the rules of private international law to apply that provision in relation to that marriage. 7. Special provisions as to wife's domicile For the purposes of this Act‐ (a) a deserted wife who was domiciled in Nigeria either immediately before her marriage or immediately before the desertion shall be deemed to be domiciled in Nigeria; and (b) a wife who is resident in Nigeria at the date of instituting proceedings under this Act and has been so resident for the period of three years immediately pre‐ ceding that date shall be deemed to be domiciled in Nigeria at that date.
8. Law to be applied The jurisdiction conferred on a court by this Act shall be exercised in accordance with this Act, and any law in force immediately before the commencement of this Act which confers jurisdiction in divorce or matrimonial causes on the High Court of a State or pro‐ vides for the law and practice to be applied in the exercise of that jurisdiction shall, to the extent that it does so, cease to have effect. 9. Staying and transferring of proceedings (1) Where it appears to a court in which a matrimonial cause has been instituted un‐ der this Act that a matrimonial cause between the parties to the marriage or purported marriage has been instituted in another court having jurisdiction under this Act, the court may in its discretion stay the matrimonial cause for such time as it thinks fit. (2) Where it appears to a court in which matrimonial cause has been instituted under this Act (including a matrimonial cause in relation to which subsection (1) of this section applies) that it is in the interest of justice that the matrimonial cause be dealt with in an‐ other court having jurisdiction to hear and determine that cause, the court may transfer the matrimonial cause to the other court. (3) The court may exercise its powers under this section at any time and at any stage either on application by any of the parties, or of its own motion. (4) Where a matrimonial cause is transferred from a court in pursuance of this sec‐ tion‐‐ (a) all documents of record filed in that court shall be transmitted by the registrar or other proper officer of that court to the registrar or other proper officer of the court to which the cause is transferred; and (b) the court to which the cause is transferred shall proceed as if the cause had been originally instituted in that court, and as if the same proceedings had been taken in that court from which the cause was transferred, but all subsequent proceedings shall be in accordance with the practice and procedure of the court to which the cause is transferred. 10. Courts to aid one another All courts having jurisdiction under this Act shall severally act in aid of and be auxil‐ iary to one another in all matters under this Act. PART II Matrimonial relief Reconciliation 11. Reconciliation (1) It shall be the duty of the court in which a matrimonial cause has been instituted to give consideration, from time to time, to the possibility of a reconciliation of the par‐ ties to the marriage (unless the proceedings are of such a nature that it would not be ap‐ propriate to do so), and if at any time it appears to the judge constituting the court, either from the nature of the case, the evidence in the proceedings or the attitude of those par‐ ties, or of either of them, or of counsel, that there is a reasonable possibility of such a reconciliation, the judge may do all or any of the following, that is to say, he may‐ (a) adjourn the proceedings to afford those parties an opportunity of becoming reconciled or to enable anything to be done in accordance with either of the next two succeeding paragraphs; (b) with the consent of those parties, interview them in chambers, with or without counsel, as the judge thinks proper, with a view to effecting a reconciliation;
(g) that the other party to the marriage has, for a period of not less than one year, failed to comply with a decree or restitution of conjugal rights made under his Act; (h) that the other party to the marriage has been absent from the petitioner for such time and in such circumstances as to provide reasonable grounds for presum‐ ing that he or she is dead. (3) For the purposes of subsection (2) (e) and ( f) of this section the parties to a mar‐ riage shall be treated as living apart unless they are living with each other in the same household.
16. Provisions supplementary to section 15 (1) Without prejudice to the generality of section 15 (2) of this Act, the court hearing a petition for a decree of dissolution of marriage shall hold that the petitioner has satisfied the court of the fact mentioned in the said section 15 (2) (c) of this Act if the petitioner satisfies the court that‐ (a) since the marriage, the respondent has committed rape, sodomy, or bestiality; or (b) since the marriage, the respondent has, for a period of not less than two years‐ (i) been a habitual drunkard; or (ii) habitually been intoxicated by reason of taking or using to excess any sedative, narcotic or stimulating drug or preparation, or has, for a part or parts of such a period, been a habitual drunkard and has, for the other part or parts of the period, habitually been so intoxicated; or (c) since the marriage, the respondent has within a period not exceeding five years‐ (i) suffered frequent convictions for crime in respect of which the respon‐ dent has been sentenced in the aggregate to imprisonment for not less than three years; and (ii) habitually left the petitioner without reasonable means of support; or (d) since the marriage, the respondent has been in prison for a period of not less than three years after conviction for an offence punishable by death or impris‐ onment for life or for a period of five years or more, and is still in prison at the date of the petition; or (e) since the marriage and within a period of one year immediately preceding the date of the petition, the respondent has been convicted of‐ (i) having attempted to murder or unlawfully to kill the petitioner; or (ii) having committed an offence involving the intentional infliction of grievous harm or grievous hurt on the petitioner or the intent to inflict grievous harm or grievous hurt on the petitioner; or (f) the respondent has habitually and wilfully failed, throughout the period of two years immediately preceding the date of the petition, to pay maintenance for the petitioner‐ (i) ordered to be paid under an order of, or an order registered in, a court in the Federation; or (ii) agreed to be paid under an agreement between the parties to the mar‐ riage providing for their separation; or
(g) the respondent‐ (i) is, at the date of the petition, of unsound mind and unlikely to recover; and (ii) since the marriage and within the period of six years immediately pre‐ ceding the date of the petition, has been confined for a period of, or for periods aggregating, not less than five years in an institution where persons may be confined for unsoundness of mind in accordance with law, or in more than one such institution. (2) Where a petition is based on the fact mentioned in section 15 (2) (h) of this Act‐ (a) proof that, for a period of seven years immediately preceding the date of the petition, the other party to the marriage was continually absent from the peti‐ tioner and that the petitioner has no reason to believe that the other party was alive at any time within that period, is sufficient to establish the fact in ques‐ tion, unless it is shown that the other party to the marriage was alive at a time within that period; and (b) a decree made pursuant to the petition shall be in the form of a decree of dis‐ solution of marriage by reason of presumption of death.
17. Additional provisions to encourage reconciliation (1) Where the petitioner alleges that the respondent has behaved in such a way that the petitioner cannot reasonably be expected to live with him but the parties to the mar‐ riage have lived with each other for a period or periods after the date of the occurrence of the final incident relied on by the petitioner and held by the court to support his allega‐ tion, that fact shall be disregarded in determining for the purposes of section 15 (2) (c) of this Act whether the petitioner cannot reasonably be expected to live with the respondent if the length of that period or of those periods together was six months or less. (2) In considering for the purposes of section 15 (2) of this Act whether the period for which the respondent has deserted the petitioner or the period for which the parties to a marriage have lived apart has been continuous, no account shall be taken of anyone pe‐ riod (not exceeding six months) or of any two or more periods (not exceeding six months in all) during which the parties resumed living with each other, but no period during which the parties lived with each other shall count as part of the period of desertion or of the period for which the parties to the marriage lived apart, as the case may be. (3) References in this section to the parties to a marriage living with each other shall be construed as references to their living with each other in the same household. 18. Constructive desertion A married person whose conduct constitutes just cause or excuse for the other party to the marriage to live separately or apart, and occasions that other party to live separately or apart, shall be deemed to have wilfully deserted that other party without just cause or excuse, notwithstanding that that person may not in fact have intended the conduct to occasion that other party to live separately or apart. 19. Refusal to resume cohabitation (1) Where husband and wife are parties to an agreement for separation, whether oral, in writing or constituted by conduct, the refusal by one of them, without reasonable justi‐ fication, to comply with the other's bona fide request to resume cohabitation shall con‐ stitute, as from the date of the refusal, wilful desertion without just cause or excuse on the part of the party so refusing.
A decree of dissolution of marriage shall not be made if the petitioner, in bringing or prosecuting the proceedings, has been guilty of collusion with intent to cause a perversion of justice.
28. Discretionary bars The court may, in its discretion, refuse to make a decree of marriage if since the mar‐ riage‐‐ (a) the petitioner has committed adultery that has not been condoned by the re‐ spondent or, having been so condoned, has been revived; (b) the petitioner has wilfully deserted the respondent before the happening of the matters relied upon by the petitioner or, where those matters involve other matters occurring during, or extending over, a period, before the expiration of that period; or (c) the habits of the petitioner have, or the conduct of the petitioner has, conduced or contributed to the existence of the matters relied upon by the petitioner. 29. No dissolution where petition for nullity before court Where both a petition for a decree of nullity of a marriage and a petition for a decree of dissolution of that marriage are before a court, the court shall not make a decree of dissolution of the marriage unless it has dismissed the petition for a decree of nullity of the marriage. 30. Petition within two years of marriage (1) Subject to this section, proceedings for a decree of dissolution of marriage shall not be instituted within two years after the date of the marriage except by leave of the court. (2) Nothing in this section shall apply to the institution of proceedings based on any of the matters specified in section 15 (2) (a) or (b) or 16 (1) (a) of this Act, or to the in‐ stitution of proceedings for a decree of dissolution of marriage by way of cross‐ proceedings. (3) The court shall not grant leave under this section to institute proceedings except on the ground that to refuse to grant the leave would impose exceptional hardship on the applicant or that the case is one involving exceptional depravity on the part of the other party to the marriage. (4) In determining an application for leave to institute proceedings under this section, the court shall have regard to the interest of any children of the marriage, and to the question whether there is any reasonable probability of a reconciliation between the par‐ ties before the expiration of the period of two years after the date of the marriage. (5) Where, at the hearing of proceedings that have been instituted by leave of the court under this section, the court is satisfied that the leave was obtained by misrepre‐ sentation or concealment of material facts, the court may‐ (a) adjourn the hearing for such period as the court thinks fit; or (b) dismiss the petition on the ground that the leave was so obtained. (6) Where, in a case to which subsection (5) of this section applies, there is a cross‐ petition, if the court adjourns or dismisses the petition under that subsection, it shall also adjourn for the same period, or dismiss as the case may be, the cross‐petition; but if the court, having regard to the provisions of this section, thinks it proper to hear and determine the cross‐petition, it may do so, and in that case it shall also hear and determine the petition.
(7) The dismissal of a petition or a cross‐petition under subsection (5) or (6) of this section shall not prejudice any subsequent proceedings on the same, or substantially the same, facts as those constituting the ground on which the dismissed petition or cross‐ petition was brought. (8) Nothing in this section shall prevent the institution of proceedings, after the pe‐ riod of two years from the date of the marriage, based upon matters which have occurred within that period. (9) In this section, a reference to the leave of the court shall be deemed to include a reference to leave granted by a court on appeal.
31. Claim for damages (1) A party to a marriage, whether husband or wife, may, in a petition for a decree of dissolution of the marriage alleging that the other party to the marriage has committed adultery with a person or including that allegation, claim damages from that person on the ground that that person has committed adultery with the other party to the marriage and, subject to this section, the court may award damages accordingly. (2) The court shall not award damages against a person where the adultery of the re‐ spondent with that person has been condoned, whether subsequently revived or not, or if a decree of dissolution of the marriage based on the fact of the adultery of the respondent with that person, or on facts including that fact, is not made. (3) Damages shall not be awarded under this Act in respect of an act of adultery committed more than three years before the date of the petition. (4) The court may direct in what manner the damages awarded shall be paid or ap‐ plied and may, if it thinks fit, direct that they shall be settled for the benefit of the respon‐ dent or the children of the marriage. 32. Joinder of adulterers, etc. (1) Where, in a petition for a decree of dissolution of marriage or in an answer to such a petition, a party to the marriage is alleged to have committed adultery with a specified person, whether or not a decree of dissolution of marriage is sought on the basis of that allegation, that person shall, except as provided by rules of court, be made a party to the proceedings. (2) Where, in a petition for a decree of dissolution of marriage or in an answer to such a petition, a party to the marriage is alleged to have committed rape or sodomy on or with a specified person, whether or not a decree of dissolution of marriage is sought on the basis of that allegation that person shall, except as provided by rules of court, be served with notice that the allegation has been made and is thereupon entitled to intervene in the proceedings. (3) Where a person has been made a party to proceedings for a decree of dissolution of marriage in pursuance of subsection (1) above, the court may, on the application of that person, if it is satisfied after the close of the case for the party to the marriage who alleged the adultery that there is not sufficient evidence to establish that that person committed adultery with the other party to the marriage, dismiss that person from the proceedings. 33. Effect of dissolution of marriage Where a decree of dissolution of marriage under this Act has become absolute, a party to the marriage may marry again as if the marriage had been dissolved by death. Nullity of marriage 34. Ground for decree of nullity of marriage
(1) A decree of nullity under this Act of a voidable marriage shall annul the marriage from and including the date on which the decree becomes absolute. (2) Without prejudice to the operation of subsection (1) of this section in other re‐ spects, a decree of nullity under this Act of a voidable marriage shall not render illegiti‐ mate a child of the parties born since, or legitimated during, the marriage. Judicial separation
39. Grounds for judicial separation Subject to this Part, a petition under this Act by a party to a marriage for a decree of judicial separation may be based on one or more of the facts and matters specified in sec‐ tions 15 (2) and 16 (1) of this Act. 40. Application to judicial separation of sundry sections of this Part The provisions of sections 18 to 24 and sections 26 to 32 of this Act shall apply to and in relation to a decree of judicial separation and proceedings for such a decree and, for the purposes of those provisions as so applying, a reference in those provisions to a de‐ cree of dissolution of marriage shall be read as a reference to a decree of judicial separa‐ tion. 41. Effect of decree of judicial separation A decree of judicial separation relieves the petitioner from the obligation to cohabit with the other party to the marriage while the decree remains in operation, but, except as provided by this Part, it shall not otherwise affect the marriage or the status, rights and obligations of the parties to the marriage. 42. Effect on rights to sue, devolution of property, etc. (1) While a decree of judicial separation is in operation, either party to the marriage may bring proceedings in contract or in tort against the other party. (2) Where a party to a marriage dies intestate as to any property while a decree of ju‐ dicial separation is in operation, that property shall devolve as if that party had survived the other party to the marriage. (3) Where upon, or in consequence of, the making of a decree of judicial separation a husband is ordered to pay maintenance to his wife, and the maintenance is not duly paid, the husband shall be liable for necessaries supplied for the wife's use. 43. Exercise of joint powers not affected Nothing in this Part shall prevent a wife, during separation under a decree of judicial separation, from joining in the exercise of any power given to herself and her husband jointly. 44. Decree of judicial separation not to bar subsequent proceedings for dissolution of marriage (1) A decree of judicial separation shall not prevent the institution by either party to the marriage of proceedings for a decree of dissolution of marriage. (2) Subject to the next succeeding subsection, the court may, in any proceedings for a decree of dissolution of marriage on the same, or substantially the same, facts as those on which a decree of judicial separation has been made, treat the decree of judicial separa‐ tion as sufficient proof of the facts constituting the ground on which that decree was made. (3) The court shall not grant a decree of dissolution of marriage without receiving evidence by the petitioner in support of the petition.
45. Discharge of decree of jndicial separation on resumption of cohabitation Where, after the making of a decree of judicial separation the parties voluntarily re‐ sume cohabitation, either party may apply for an order discharging the decree, and the court shall, if both parties consent to the order, or if the court is otherwise satisfied that the parties have voluntarily resumed cohabitation, make an order discharging the decree accordingly. 46. Application of section 41 to 45 to certain decrees The provision of sections 41 to 45 of this Act shall apply to and in relation to a decree of judicial separation made before the commencement of this Act by a court in Nigeria as well as to such a decree made after the commencement of this Act. Restitution of conjugal rights 47. Ground for decree of restitution of conjugal rights A petition under this Act by a party to a marriage for a decree of restitution of conju‐ gal rights may be based on the ground that the parties to the marriage, whether or not they have at any time cohabited, are not cohabiting and that, without just cause or excuse, the party against whom the decree is sought refuses to cohabit with, and render conjugal rights to, the petitioner. 48. Agreement for separation An agreement for separation, whether entered into before or after the commencement of this Act, shall not constitute a defence to proceedings under this Act for a decree of restitution of conjugal rights. 49. Sincerity of petitioner The court shall not make a decree of restitution of conjugal rights unless it is satis‐ fied‐ (a) that the petitioner sincerely desires conjugal rights to be rendered by the re‐ spondent and is willing to render conjugal rights to the respondent; and (b) that a written request for cohabitation, expressed in conciliatory language, was made to the respondent before the institution of the proceedings, or that there are special circumstances which justify the making of the decree notwithstand‐ ing that such a request was not made. 50. Notice as to home Where the court makes a decree of restitution of conjugal rights on the petition of a husband, the petitioner shall, as soon as practicable after the making of the decree, and at such other times as rules of court so require, give to the respondent notice, in accordance with rules of court, of the provision made by the petitioner, or which the petitioner is willing to make, with respect to a home, for the purpose of enabling the respondent to comply with the decree. 51. Enforcement of decree A decree of restitution of conjugal rights shall not be enforceable by attachment. Jactitation of marriage 52. Ground for decree of jactitation of marriage, and discretion of court A petition under this Act for a decree of jactitation of marriage may be based on the ground that the respondent has falsely boasted and persistently asserted that a marriage
(2) In this section, "children of the marriage in relation to whom this section ap‐ plies" means‐‐ (a) the children of the marriage who are under the age of sixteen years at the date of the decree nisi; and (b) any children of the marriage in relation to whom the court has, in pursuance of the next succeeding subsection, ordered that this section shall apply. (3) The court may, in a particular case, if it is of opinion that there are special cir‐ cumstances which justify its so doing, order that this section shall apply in relation to a child of the marriage who has attained the age of sixteen years at the date of the decree nisi.
58. When decree becomes absolute (1) Subject to this section, where in relation to a decree nisi‐ (a) section 57 above applies, the decree nisi shall become absolute by force of this section at the expiration of‐ (i) a period of three months from the making of the decree; or (ii) a period of 28 days from the making of an order under subsection (1) of that section, whichever is the later; and (b) section 57 of this Act does not apply, the decree nisi shall become absolute by force of this section upon the expiration of a period of three months from the making of the decree. (2) Where a decree nisi has been made in any proceedings, the court of first instance (whether or not it made the decree), or a court in which an appeal has been instituted, may, either before or after it has disposed of the proceedings or appeal, and whether or not a previous order has been made under this subsection‐‐ (a) having regard to the possibility of an appeal or further appeal, make an order extending the period at the expiration of which the decree nisi will become ab‐ solute; or (b) if it is satisfied that there are special circumstances which justify its so doing, make an order reducing the period at the expiration for which the decree nisi will become absolute. (3) Where an appeal is instituted (whether or not it is the first appeal) before a decree nisi has become absolute, then, notwithstanding any order in force under the last preced‐ ing subsection at the time of the institution of the appeal, the decree nisi, unless reversed or rescinded, shall become absolute by force of this section‐‐ (a) at the expiration of a period of 28 days from the day on which the appeal is determined or discontinued; or (b) on the day on which, in the particular circumstances, the decree would have become absolute under subsection (1) above if no appeal had been instituted, whichever is the later. (4) A decree nisi shall not become absolute by force of this section where either of the parties to the marriages has died. (5) In this section, "appeal", in relation to a decree nisi, means‐‐ (a) an appeal, application for leave to appeal or intervention, against or arising out of‐ (i) the decree nisi; or
(ii) an order under the last preceding section in relation to the proceedings in which the decree nisi was made; or (b) an application under section 60 or 61 of this Act for rescission of the decree or an appeal or application for leave to appeal arising out of such an application.
59. Certificate as to decree absolute (1) Where a decree nisi becomes absolute, the registrar or other proper officer of the court by which the decree was made shall prepare and file a memorandum of the fact and of the date upon which the decree became absolute. (2) Where a decree nisi has become absolute, any person shall be entitled, on appli‐ cation to the registrar or other proper officer of the court by which the decree was made on payment of the appropriate fee, to receive a certificate signed by the registrar or other proper officer that the decree nisi has become absolute, and a certificate given under this subsection shall in all courts and for all purposes be evidence of the matters specified in the certificate. 60. Rescission of decree nisi where parties are reconciled, etc. Notwithstanding anything contained in this Part, where a decree nisi has been made in proceedings for a decree of dissolution of marriage, the court may, at any time before the decree becomes absolute, upon the application of either of the parties to the marriage, rescind the decree on the ground that the parties to the marriage have become reconciled. 61. Rescission of decree nisi on ground of miscarriage of justice Where a decree nisi has been made but has not become absolute, the court by which the decree was made may, on the application of a party to the proceedings, if it is satis‐ fied that there has been a miscarriage of justice by reason of fraud, perjury, suppression of evidence or any other circumstances, rescind the decree and, if it thinks fit, order that the proceedings be reheard. PART III Intervention 62. Intervention by Attorney‐General on request from court In any proceedings under this Act where the court requests him to do so, the Attor‐ ney‐General of the Federation may intervene in, and contest or argue any question arising in, the proceedings. 63. Intervention of Attorney‐General in other cases In proceedings under this Act for a decree of dissolution or nullity of marriage, judi‐ cial separation or restitution of conjugal rights, or in relation to the custody or guardian‐ ship of children, where the Attorney‐General of the Federation has reason to believe that there are matters relevant to the proceedings that have not been, or may not be, but ought to be, made known to the court, he may, at any time before the proceedings are finally disposed of, intervene in the proceedings. 64. Delegation by Attorney‐General (1) The Attorney‐General of the Federation may, either generally or in relation to a matter or class of matters and either in relation to the whole of the Federation or to a State, by writing under his hand, delegate all or any of his powers and^ functions^ under this Part of this Act (except this power of delegation) to the person occupying from time
