Mcgregor

It is often said there's a time for everything under the sun. Well, there is also a time for many things under the law. Below are some of those 'times' which you may wish to note.

The time to register births and deaths is set out in the Registration (Births and Deaths) Act.

Time to register birth

If a child is born in a public or private hospital, the chief resident officer must send a certificate concerning the birth of that child to the registrar of the district in which the child is born within 14 days of the birth.

If a child is born at home, the registrar of the district must receive the information within 42 days of the birth of the child.

If a midwife delivers the child, the registrar must be notified within 48 hours of the birth of the child.

Time to register death

If a person dies at home, the registrar of the district must be notified within five days of the death. If the death is not registered within 12 months, it can only be done with the consent of the Registrar General.

Time to solemnise marriage

According to section 27 of the Marriage Act, a marriage must be solemnised in the presence of a marriage officer and two witnesses between the hours of 6 a.m. and 8:00 p.m.

Time to get divorced

The Matrimonial Causes Act (section 8) states that a married person must obtain the permission of the court if he or she is to apply for a divorce before the expiration of two years from the date of the marriage.

Time to be buried

It is widely accepted among the public, including several members of the legal profession, that the body of a deceased person must be interred before 6:00 p.m. If it is contained in a statute, it is a well-preserved secret, which I have not been able to unearth. However, there is some reference in the Bible and, based on one English case, there is a duty within Jewish society to bury the dead before sunset. The question is, "Is it really the law?"

Time to reopen a grave

Except for purposes of exhumation, no grave can be reopened within a period of 14 years after the date of the burial of the body. This is based on section 41 of the Kingston and St. Andrew (Cemeteries) Act Regulation.

It may be safe to conclude, therefore, that laws govern us from the cradle to the grave.