{"id":79,"date":"2024-10-12T08:52:53","date_gmt":"2024-10-12T08:52:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/?p=79"},"modified":"2025-03-12T16:30:20","modified_gmt":"2025-03-12T11:00:20","slug":"corbett-v-corbett-1970-2-all-er-33case-summary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/family-law\/corbett-v-corbett-1970-2-all-er-33case-summary\/","title":{"rendered":"Corbett v. Corbett (1970)\u200b(Case Summary) <\/br> <\/br>"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"79\" class=\"elementor elementor-79\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-49e3945a elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no\" data-id=\"49e3945a\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-137345e0\" data-id=\"137345e0\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-28559c3b elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default wpr-particle-no wpr-jarallax-no wpr-parallax-no wpr-sticky-section-no\" data-id=\"28559c3b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-662250ab\" data-id=\"662250ab\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b53a7a2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6b53a7a2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Corbett v. Corbett 1970\n(Case Summary)<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-378727f5 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"378727f5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1312\" height=\"736\" src=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/a-poster-with-the-text-corbett-v-corbett-a-family-Fa_M72yzSGKVvpUiaRz9gQ-zbs6DzbsTnadmQKYHOg8Xw.jpeg\" class=\"attachment-1536x1536 size-1536x1536 wp-image-60\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/a-poster-with-the-text-corbett-v-corbett-a-family-Fa_M72yzSGKVvpUiaRz9gQ-zbs6DzbsTnadmQKYHOg8Xw.jpeg 1312w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/a-poster-with-the-text-corbett-v-corbett-a-family-Fa_M72yzSGKVvpUiaRz9gQ-zbs6DzbsTnadmQKYHOg8Xw-300x168.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/a-poster-with-the-text-corbett-v-corbett-a-family-Fa_M72yzSGKVvpUiaRz9gQ-zbs6DzbsTnadmQKYHOg8Xw-1024x574.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/a-poster-with-the-text-corbett-v-corbett-a-family-Fa_M72yzSGKVvpUiaRz9gQ-zbs6DzbsTnadmQKYHOg8Xw-768x431.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1312px) 100vw, 1312px\" title=\"\">\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-521e7330 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"521e7330\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This&nbsp; landmark case in the UK questioned the validity of a marriage involving a transgender woman who had undergone gender reassignment surgery. The court&#8217;s decision in Corbett v. Corbett set a precedent for how gender identity and biological sex are treated under marriage law, highlighting the legal challenges faced by transgender individuals during the era.<\/span><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/family-law\/corbett-v-corbett-1970-2-all-er-33case-summary\/#Facts_of_Corbett_v_Corbett\" >Facts of Corbett v. Corbett<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/family-law\/corbett-v-corbett-1970-2-all-er-33case-summary\/#Issues_framed\" >Issues framed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/family-law\/corbett-v-corbett-1970-2-all-er-33case-summary\/#Judgment_of_Corbett_v_Corbett\" >Judgment of Corbett v. Corbett<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/family-law\/corbett-v-corbett-1970-2-all-er-33case-summary\/#Click_here_to_read_the_Judgment\" >Click here to read the Judgment<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Facts_of_Corbett_v_Corbett\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Facts of Corbett v. Corbett<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arthur Corbett married April Ashley in 1963.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">April Ashley was born biologically male but had undergone gender reassignment surgery before the marriage.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arthur Corbett later sought an annulment, claiming the marriage was invalid because April was biologically male at birth.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The case was brought before the High Court of Justice, Family Division, to determine the validity of the marriage under English law.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Issues_framed\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Issues framed<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether a marriage between a man and a transgender woman who had undergone gender reassignment surgery is valid under English law?<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whether the sex of a person for legal purposes, particularly marriage, should be determined by their biological characteristics at birth or by their post-operative gender identity?<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Judgment_of_Corbett_v_Corbett\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Judgment of Corbett v. Corbett<br><\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The court primarily considered common law principles and the legal understanding of sex and marriage at the time, which did not explicitly address transgender identities.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The court determined that a person&#8217;s sex for the purposes of marriage must be determined by their biological and chromosomal characteristics at birth. Gender reassignment surgery was not recognized as altering a person&#8217;s legal sex.<\/span><\/p><p><b style=\"font-style: inherit; color: var( --e-global-color-text ); font-family: var( --e-global-typography-text-font-family ), Sans-serif; background-color: var(--ast-global-color-5);\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The court ruled that the marriage was invalid because, legally, both parties were considered male at the time of the marriage. Ormrod J. stated that &#8220;the biological criteria for determining sex are decisive, and thus the marriage is void.&#8221; This judgment emphasized the legal distinction between gender identity and biological sex, with significant implications for the rights of transgender individuals.<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Click_here_to_read_the_Judgment\"><\/span><span style=\"color: #993300;\"><b>Click here to read the Judgment<\/b><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4c7a2486 elementor-widget elementor-widget-pdfjs-viewer\" data-id=\"4c7a2486\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"pdfjs-viewer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<iframe width=\"\" height=\"700\" src=\"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-content\/plugins\/pdfjs-viewer-for-elementor\/\/assets\/js\/pdfjs\/web\/viewer.html?file=\"><\/iframe>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This landmark case in the UK questioned the validity of a marriage involving a transgender woman who had undergone gender reassignment surgery. The court&#8217;s decision in Corbett v. Corbett set a<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":371,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4],"tags":[27],"class_list":["post-79","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-family-law","tag-national-legal-services-authority-v-union-of-india-2014"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=79"}],"version-history":[{"count":119,"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4725,"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/79\/revisions\/4725"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=79"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=79"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fawyerz.in\/judgments\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=79"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}