Continuance of Laws Act 1678

The Continuance of Laws Act 1678 was an act of the Parliament of England that continued the Death between Verdict and Judgment Act 1665 and the Statute of Distribution for 7 years.

Background

In the United Kingdom, acts of Parliament remain in force until expressly repealed. Many acts of parliament, however, contained time-limited sunset clauses, requiring legislation to revive enactments that had expired or to continue enactments that would otherwise expire.

Provisions

Revived and continued enactments

Section 1 of the act continued the Death between Verdict and Judgment Act 1665 and the Statute of Distribution until the next session of parliament 7 years after the start of the present session of parliament.

Subsequent developments

The acts were made perpetual by section 5 of the Administration of Intestates' Estate Act 1685.
The Select Committee on Temporary Laws, Expired or Expiring, appointed in 1796, inspected and considered all temporary laws, observing irregularities in the construction of expiring laws continuance acts, making recommendations and emphasising the importance of the Committee for Expired and Expiring Laws.
The whole act was repealed by section 1 of, and the schedule to, the Statute Law Revision Act 1863.