VPRS 5334 Divorce Cause Books

Until 1861 in Victoria, divorce was a matter for the ecclesiastical courts as it was in England until 1857 1858. The Divorce and Matrimonial Causes Act 1861 conferred upon the Supreme Court of Victoria the jurisdiction in matters matrimonial and authority in certain cases to decree the dissolution of the marriage. This continued to be the case until the passing of the Commonwealth Family Law Act 1975.This series consists of the registers recording petitions for hearings in the Supreme Court in the divorce and matrimonial causes jurisdiction and the summary information with respect to the petition. Details given are when the case was set down (i.e. when the petition was received and registered by the Court), the names of the petitioner and the respondent and any co-respondents, the nature of the application (whether for a divorce, for alimony, for a judicial separation or for nullity of the marriage), date of the hearing, the name of the presiding judge, the delivery of the judgment, the number of the suit and the names of the proctors (or attorneys) for both the petitioner and respondent. Reference may be given to the page in VPRS 5336 Divorce and Matrimonial Court Book upon which the hearing is recorded.