Surrogacy amendments to the UCPR

14/02/2011

The Surrogacy Act 2010 is due to come into force on 1 March 2011. The rules will also commence on that date. The Surrogacy Act introduces a scheme under which the Supreme Court may make orders that transfer parentage where there has been a surrogacy arrangement.

On 7 February 2011 the Uniform Rules Committee approved amendments to the UCPR which insert a new Part 56A into the rules. The new Part includes rules that specify how an application for a parentage order is made, how it is dealt with, what evidence is required and other ancillary matters, consistent with the Surrogacy Act. For consistency, the rules in this part have been modelled on Part 56, which deals with matters under the Adoptions Act.

Matters under the Surrogacy Act will be dealt with by the Equity Division of the Supreme Court.

**14 February 2011 **