dissolution

If a civil partnership is effectively a gay marriage, then dissolution is essentially a gay divorce.  In order to dissolve a civil partnership one of the civil partners must petition the Court for a dissolution order.  Under the Civil Partnership Act, there is only one ground for dissolving a civil partnership and that is the irretrievable breakdown of the civil partnership which is evidenced by one of the following four supporting facts:-

(a)  Unreasonable behaviour.
(b)  Desertion for 2 years.
(c)   Separation for 2 years with the consent of the other civil partner to the dissolution.
(d)   Separation for 5 years.

No proceedings for a dissolution order can be commenced until 1 year from the date of the civil partnership registration.

Either party is entitled further to the commencement of formal dissolution proceedings to apply for financial provision whether by way of a maintenance order, a lump sum payment or an adjustment of their interest in property, pensions and other assets owned solely or jointly.