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Family law continues to lag behind social change

© Copyright LexisNexis 2024. All rights reserved.
Date:28 FEB 2017
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Sarah Anticoni Partner Charles Russell Speechlys
On 21 February 2017 the Court of Appeal comprising of Lady Justice Arden Lord Justice Beatson and Lord Justice Briggs rejected an appeal brought by Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan. Ms Steinfeld and Mr Keidan had sought to lift the bar on opposite sex couples entering into a civil partnership (s 3(i)(a) of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (the 2004 Act)).

The concept of a civil partnership (CP) allows same-sex partners to obtain formal legal recognition of their relationship outside marriage. The young couple are in a committed long-term relationship and have a child together. They wished to formalise this relationship but not in marriage which they considered had historical patriarchal aspects.

Ms Steinfeld and Mr Keidan had sought permission of the court to judicially review the decision of the Secretary of State not to put forward changes to the 2004 Act. They had given notice to the Chelsea Register Office in October 2014 indicating they wished to enter into a CP but were told that they were prevented from entering into a CP. 

They also sought...

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