Married Women Act

This Act may be cited as the Married Women Act.

This Act shall not apply in any matter if any of the parties professes the Islamic religion.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires —

“defendant”, in relation to a maintenance order or a related attachment of earnings order, means the person liable to make payments under the maintenance order;

“earnings”, in relation to a defendant, means any sums payable to him —

by way of wages or salary, including any fees, bonus, commission, overtime pay or other emoluments payable in addition to wages or salary by the person paying the wages or salary or payable under a contract of service;

by way of pension, including an annuity in respect of past services, whether or not the services were rendered to the person paying the annuity, and including periodical payments by way of compensation for the loss abolition or relinquishment, or any diminution in the emoluments, of any office or employment;

an order for the payment of a monthly allowance made or deemed to be made by a court under this Act;

an order for the payment of periodical sums by way of maintenance or alimony to a wife or for the benefit of any child under any other law; and

a maintenance order registered or confirmed by the court under the Maintenance Orders Reciprocal Enforcement Act