The Family Law Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 (SI 1977/1250 (N.I. 17)) is an order in Council for Northern Ireland that reformed the law of Northern Ireland relating to illegitimacy, including the property and succession rights of children born outside marriage, and introduced provision for the use of blood tests, and later other scientific tests, to determine paternity in civil proceedings.
Background The Order was made under paragraph 1 of schedule 1 to the Northern Ireland Act 1974, during the period of direct rule in which legislation for Northern Ireland on transferred matters was made by Order in Council rather than by the Parliament of Northern Ireland or a devolved assembly. A draft of the Order was approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament, and it was made by the Queen in Council at Buckingham Palace on 26 July 1977.
Provisions Repealed enactments Article 16 of the act repealed two obsolete enactments of the Parliament of Ireland, listed below. CitationShort titleDescriptionExtent of repeal21 Hen. 3 (1237)N/ACustom of England that a person born out of wedlock cannot inherit, to be observed in Ireland.The whole act.22 Hen. 3 (1238)N/ACustom of England that the land of a bastard without an heir reverts to the lord, to be observed in Ireland.The whole act.
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