Do you need to apply for guardianship or custody of a child, or access?
You can bring the application in the District Court where either party to the proceedings resides or carries on any profession, business or occupation.
Your hearing will be heard in private.
Guardianship applications and Court orders
An application to the Court by the father of a child whose father and mother have not married each other and have not made a statutory declaration, for an order appointing him to be a guardian of the child shall be preceded by the completion by the applicant of a notice in the Form 58.1 Schedule C.
Such notice shall be served upon the mother and upon any other guardian of the child. The order of the Court granting such application shall be in the Form 58.2 Schedule C.
Applications to appoint or remove a guardian can also be made in other circumstances, for example where a child has no guardian or where a surviving guardian objects to the appointment of a testamentary guardian.
Application seeking Court’s direction
An application to the Court can be made for the court’s direction as to access, custody, or guardianship by a person who is a relative of a child, or has acted in loco parentis to a child and shall be preceded by the issue and service of a notice in the Form 58.15 Schedule C upon each guardian of the child. The order of the Court thereon shall be in the Form 58.16 Schedule C.
Application to vary/discharge
An application under section 12 of the Act for an order varying or discharging a previous order shall be preceded by the issue and service of a notice in the Form 58.21 Schedule C upon each of the other guardians or each of the guardians of the child as the case may be. The order of the Court thereon shall be in the Form 58.22 Schedule C.
Application for production of child
An application for the production of a child shall be preceded by the issue and service of a notice in the Form 58.23 Schedule C upon the person having custody of the child.
Custody/right of access -non compliance with direction
Where complaint is made to a Judge alleging an offence of failure or refusal to comply with the requirements of a direction given in an order the summons which may be issued and served upon the person against whom the offence is alleged shall be in the Form 58.28 or 58.29 Schedule C, as appropriate.
Service and lodgment of documents
Documents may be served upon the person to whom it is directed in accordance with the provisions of Order 10 of these Rules at least fourteen days or, in the case of proceedings certified as urgent under rule 2(2) hereof, at least two days, before the date of the sitting of the Court to which it is returnable.
The original of every such notice or order served shall, together with a statutory declaration as to service thereof, be lodged with the Clerk at least two days before the date of the said sitting.
Clerk to supply copies of orders
Where the Court makes an order under the Act, the Clerk shall give, or send by ordinary post, a copy of such order to each person in whose favour or against whom the order was made.
What’s set out above is an abbreviated version of the rules involved.
Always check the full version of the appropriate rules or get legal advice or representation.