MATRIMONIAL CAUSES ACT

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MATRIMONIAL CAUSES ACT

CHAPTER M7 LAWS OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIA, L.F.N. 2004

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ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS 

Part I: Jurisdiction

1.       Institution of matrimonial cause proceedings only under this Act.

2.       Jurisdiction in matrimonial causes.    

3.       Void marriages and prohibited degrees of consanguinity.

4.       Marriage of persons within prohibited degrees of affinity.         

5.       Voidable marriages.        

6.       Validity, etc. of certain marriages not affected.

7.       Special provisions as to wife’s domicile.       

8.       Law to be applied. 

9.       Staying and transferring of proceedings.

10.     Courts to aid one another.                                     

Part II: Matrimonial Relief

Reconciliation

11.     Reconciliation.      

12.     Hearing when reconciliation fails.      

13.     Statements, etc. made in course of attempt to effect reconciliation.

14.     Marriage conciliator to take oath of secrecy.                               

Dissolution of marriage 

15.     Ground for dissolution of marriage.   

16.     Provisions supplementary to section 15.      

17.     Additional provisions to encourage reconciliation.

18.     Constructive desertion.  

19.     Refusal to resume cohabitation.         

20.     Desertion continuing after insanity

21.     Restriction on finding of non-consummation.        

22.     Aggregation of concurrent sentences in reckoning imprisonment.      

23.     Restriction on finding of non-maintenance.

24.     Restriction on finding of insanity.      

25.     Power to refuse to make decree without maintenance, etc. in proper case.  

26.     Condonation and connivance.

27.     Collusion.   

28.     Discretionary bars.

29.     No dissolution where petition for nullity before court.

30.     Petition within two years of marriage.

31.     Claim for damages.

32.     Joinder of adulterers, etc.

33.     Effect of dissolution of marriage.                                      

Nullity of marriage 

34.     Ground for decree of nullity of marriage.     

35.     Who may institute proceedings.        

36.     Incapacity to consummate marriage.

37.     Restrictions on certain grounds.        

38.     Effect of decree of nullity of a voidable marriage.            

Judicial separation

39.     Grounds for judicial separation.         

40.     Application to judicial separation of sundry sections of this Part.        

41.     Effect of decree of judicial separation.

42.     Effect on rights to sue, devolution of property, etc.

43.     Exercise of joint powers not affected.

44.     Decree of judicial separation not to bar subsequent proceedings for dissolution of marriage.

45.     Discharge of decree of judicial separation on resumption of cohabitation.    

46.     Application of sections 41 to 45 to certain decrees.                   

Restitution of conjugal rights

47.     Ground for decree of restitution of conjugal rights.        

48.     Agreement for separation.       

49.     Sincerity of petitioner.

50.     Notice as to home.

51.     Enforcement of decree.           

Jactitation of marriage

52.     Ground for decree of activation of marriage, and discretion of court.                                

General

53.     Facts, etc. occurring before commencement of Act or outside Nigeria.

54.     Institution of proceedings.       

55.     Duty of court.

56.     Decree nisi in first instance.     

57.     Decree absolute where children under sixteen years, etc.        

58.     When decree becomes absolute.

59.     Certificate as to decree absolute.       

60.     Rescission of decree nisi where parties are reconciled, etc.       

61.     Rescission of decree nisi on ground of miscarriage of justice.

Part III: Intervention

62.     Intervention by Attorney-General on request from court.

63.     Intervention of Attorney-General in other cases.   

64.     Delegation by Attorney – General.

65.     Intervention by other persons. 

66.     Rescission of decree nisi in consequence of intervention.         

67.     When proceedings finally dispose of.

68.     Procedure on intervention.                                     

Part IV: Maintenance, Custody and Settlement

69.     Interpretation of “marriage”, etc. in the application of this Part.

70.     Powers of court in maintenance proceedings.        

71.     Powers of court in custody, etc. proceedings.

72.     Power of court in proceedings with respect to settlement of property.

73.     General powers of court.

74.     Execution of deeds, etc. by order of court.

75.     Power of court to make orders on dismissal of petition.                                  

Part V: Appeals

76.     General right of appeal.  

77.     Appeals with leave.        

78.     Appeal from court of summary jurisdiction.

79.     Appellate jurisdiction and powers.                                     

Part VI: Recognition of Decrees

80.     Effect of decrees. 

81.     Recognition of other decrees.             

Part VII: Evidence

82.     Standard of proof.

83.     Evidence of husbands and wives.      

84.     Evidence of non-access.

85.     Evidence as to adultery. 

86.     Proof of marriage, etc.    

87.     Evidence of rape, etc.

Part VIII: Enforcement of decrees

88.     Attachment.

89.     Enforcement of decrees by other High Courts.      

90.     Recovery of moneys as judgment dealt.

91.     Summary enforcement of orders for maintenance.

92.     Enforcement of maintenance orders by attachment of earnings.        

93.     Enforcement by other means.

94.     Enforcement of existing decrees.      

95.     Power to make rules of court for purposes of this Part.               

Part IX: Transitional Provisions

96.     Definitions.

97.     Pending proceedings generally.

98.     Continuance of proceedings for dissolution or nullity of marriage, or judicial separation.

99.     Application of this Act to pending proceedings for dissolution or nullity of marriage, or judicial separation.         

100.   Continuance of other pending proceedings.

101.   Special revisions as to pending appeals or existing rights to appear.

102.   Decrees of restitution of conjugal rights under previous law.                                   

Part X: Miscellaneous

103.   Hearings to be in open court.

104.   Proceedings to be heard by judge alone.     

105.   Transactions intended to defeat claims.

106.   Service of process.

107.   Position of clergy as to re- marriage. 

108.   Restriction on publication of evidence.

109.   Injunctions.

110.   Costs.         

111.   Frivolous or vexatious proceedings.

112.   Rules of court.      

113.   Savings for sundry domestic and foreign decrees, etc.   

114.   Interpretation.

115.   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

Subsidiary Legislation: Matrimonial Causes Rules

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MATRIMONIAL CAUSES ACT  

This is an Act to make provisions for matrimonial causes.

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[COMMENCEMENT]                      (17^th day of March, 1970)

ALPHABETICAL INDEX TO THE LAWS OF NIGERIA (UPDATED TO 2018)