This Practice Note explains the rules relating to the register and transfer of domain names within the .uk country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD). It covers: • Background to the .uk ccTLD • The .uk namespace • Registration of domain names within the .uk ccTLD • Transfer of domain name registrations within the .uk namespace • Licensing of domain name registrations • Privacy of Registrants’ information For more information on domain names generally, see: Domain names—overview. This Practice Note does not cover the transfer of .com or other generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) names, but information on the latter can be found in Practice Note: Domain name transfer (.com). Background to the .uk ccTLD Top-level domains (TLDs) are the highest level of the domain name system (DNS). A DNS is essentially a phone book for the internet, turning domain names into IP addresses and allowing internet users to access websites and other internet resources. The function of a domain ending is to simplify the classification process of all registered addresses in the DNS. The

This Practice Note covers the transfer of .com and other generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) names and supports the Precedent: gTLD domain name transfer agreement (.com). It covers the following: • What does ‘domain name transfer’ mean? • In what circumstances would a domain name transfer be required? • A step-by-step guide to a domain name transfer • What could go wrong? Domain names comprise several parts, including the domain extension, also referred to as the top-level domain (TLD). TLDs are the highest level of the domain name system (DNS). A DNS is essentially a phone book for the internet, turning domain names into IP addresses and allowing internet users to access websites and other internet resources. The function of a domain ending is to simplify the classification process of all registered addresses in the DNS. There are various types of TLD including country-specific domains. Policies relating to country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) names such as .uk are developed locally by the individual registries. This Practice Note does not cover .uk domain name transfers,

This Practice Note discusses the background to domain names, the process for registration and the practical and legal steps that can be taken to resolve disputes regarding domain names. What is a domain name? Computers existed long before the internet. During the 1960s and 1970s, the US government funded research into how to connect up computers and enable people to communicate across different networks. The resulting technology enabled systems that were quite different from one another to be connected through very lightweight technologies, ie internet naming and addressing. This structure has allowed for advances in infrastructure (for example, moving from copper wire to fibre optic cable, wired connections to wireless), and in applications (static web pages to rich media, voice-over IP telephony), many of which were never even dreamt of by the internet’s original designers. A domain name is one of the components of the internet’s transport layer, being the internet’s naming and addressing system. Each computer or device that is connected to the internet is identified by an internet protocol

The provisions of sections 65 and 66 of the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (DAA 2021), as to the prohibition of cross-examination in person in family and civil proceedings came into force on 21 July 2022 and are subject to Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955, Pt 3A, together with FPR 2010, PD 3AB (Prohibition of cross-examination in person in family proceedings under Part IVB of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 (MFPA 1984)), together with statutory guidance on the role of a qualified legal representative (QLR) appointed by the court published by the Ministry of Justice. Supporting regulations include: • the Prohibition of Cross-Examination in Person (Civil and Family Proceedings) Regulations 2022, SI 2022/568, as to the types of offences, protective injunctions and forms of evidence which will trigger the automatic prohibition of cross-examination in person • the Prohibition of Cross-Examination in Person (Fees of Court-Appointed Qualified Legal Representatives) Regulations 2022, SI 2022/567 (as amended by the Prohibition of Cross-Examination in Person (Fees of Court-Appointed Qualified Legal Representatives) (Amendment) Regulations 2023, SI 2023/1319),

The Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (DAA 2021) contains enhanced scope for special measures directions to be made in family (and other types of proceedings) where a person is a victim of or at risk of domestic abuse. The aim of the measures is to help victims of domestic abuse to give best quality evidence and participate in proceedings without there being any perpetuation of the domestic abuse they have experienced. At the early stages of proceedings, it is important to consider what support may be available to a victim, what relief might achieve this and what special measures can assist a potential victim to feel most comfortable to provide best evidence that is going to be of the greatest assistance to the court. See also Practice Note: The definition of domestic abuse under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. DAA 2021, s 63, as to special measures in family proceedings for victims of domestic abuse, came into force from 1 October 2021, in accordance with the Domestic Abuse Act 2021

The Domestic Abuse Commissioner has called for increased funding and specialist court support after a report by SafeLives revealed that 89% of domestic abuse victims do not receive support going through the family court and 71% do not receive support in any court at all, including the magistrates and crown courts. The government’s statutory duty requires the provision of domestic abuse support services, such as Independent Domestic Abuse Advisors (IDVAs). The report also criticised the lack of understanding surrounding domestic abuse, poor safeguarding, court professionals’ attitudes and the bias towards perpetrators as 20% of IDVAs were prevented from supporting clients in courts. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has led to increased case lengths, with backlogs running into 2022, and some survivors being sent to courts out of the area.

On 14 October 2025, the Domestic Abuse Commissioner published findings from a study conducted under the Family Court review and reporting mechanism (FCRRM), which examined practices at three Family Court sites in England and Wales throughout 2024. The study focused on how domestic abuse is identified and addressed in private law child arrangement proceedings. Domestic abuse was identified in 87% of case files and 73% of observed hearings. The report found that court proceedings can have a negative impact on survivors and children, including re-traumatisation, limited opportunities for children’s views to be considered and orders perceived as unsafe or unsustainable. While some good practice was observed, such as trauma-informed approaches and efforts to prioritise safety, these were not applied consistently. The Domestic Abuse Commissioner made several recommendations in relation to the next steps for the FCRRM, including that the Ministry of Justice should commit resources and funding to a second phase of the FCRRM to include Pathfinder court sites and Child Arrangements Programme courts, as well as financial remedy cases.

The DAA 2021 creates, for the first time, a cross-government statutory definition of domestic abuse. According to the government’s factsheet the definition is ‘…to ensure that domestic abuse is properly understood, considered unacceptable and actively challenged across statutory agencies and in public attitudes’. The definition of domestic abuse is in two parts. The first part deals with the relationship between the abuser and the abused and the second part defines what constitutes abusive behaviour. The definition is broad and includes controlling or coercive behaviour and economic abuse. For the purposes of DAA 2021, the behaviour of a person towards another person is domestic abuse if: •both parties are each aged 16 or over and are personally connected to each other, and •the behaviour is abusive Behaviour is abusive if it consists of any of the following: •physical or sexual abuse •violent or threatening behaviour •controlling or coercive behaviour •economic abuse, which means any behaviour that has a substantial adverse effect on that person’s ability to: ?acquire, use or maintain money or other property, or ?obtain goods or services •psychological, emotional or other abuse The behaviour can consist of a single incident or a course of conduct. For the purposes of DAA 2021, behaviour may be behaviour towards a person despite the fact that it consists of conduct directed at another person, for example, towards that person’s child. This confers the formal status of victim of domestic abuse not only on the victim themselves, but on any child who has seen, heard or experienced the effects of domestic abuse. References in DAA 2021 to being abusive towards another person are to be read in accordance with this.

Family analysis: This case concerned a case management decision by the court as to whether the domestic abuse alleged in the case was a potentially relevant factor in the financial remedy proceedings in circumstances where ‘conduct’ is only to be taken into account if it is of a highly exceptional nature. The judgment contains a helpful summary of the law in relation to conduct in financial remedy proceedings, an overview of the increased awareness of the incidence of domestic abuse and guidance as to how allegations of domestic abuse in financial remedy proceedings should be treated. Michael Allum, partner at The International Family Law Group LLP, sets out the key considerations.

An interdict that a court determines is a domestic abuse interdict in terms of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2011 asp 13.

This Practice Note examines the legal and practical issues for an employer to consider in relation to domestic abuse, including the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (DAA 2021) definition, who is most at risk of domestic abuse, the potential warning signs of domestic abuse, how domestic abuse can affect the workplace, how an employer should deal with perpetrators of domestic abuse, and the business case for providing workplace support for those suffering domestic abuse. It sets out key issues an employer should consider when deciding how best to support those experiencing domestic abuse, including what to include in a domestic abuse policy, the adoption of an open culture, practical support an employer can offer, homeworking and domestic abuse, signposting support service, appointing a domestic abuse or wellbeing champion, education and training, how to deal with domestic abuse-related absence and the performance management of those suffering domestic abuse, the use of occupational health and employee assistance programmes, and data protection and confidentiality considerations. Finally, it considers the legal position, including health and safety obligations, how unfair

This Practice Note explains what a domestic abuse protection notice (DAPN) is under the Domestic Abuse Act 2021 (DAA 2021). It sets out the specified areas in which DAPNs are in force on a piloted basis. It considers the police power to give a DAPN, provision that may be made by DAPNs, matters to be considered before giving a DAPN, including further requirements and what happens when a DAPN is breached. DAA 2021, s 22 created new police powers in the form of DAPNs. It is intended that DAPNs will eventually replace and expand the current domestic violence protection notices (DVPNs) and that Domestic abuse protection orders (DAPOs) under DAA 2021 will replace domestic violence protection orders (DVPOs). However, DVPNs and DVPOs will remain available for the duration of the DAPN and DAPO pilot and will only be repealed upon national roll-out of the DAPN and DAPO. See Practice Note: The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme and domestic violence protection notices and orders. Note that some of the provisions in DAA 2021, Pt 3, including in respect