Article Category: Family Law – Insight & Opinion

Following on from our previous blog relating to domestic violence and in particular occupation orders and non-molestation orders, clients may be wondering whether urgent applications can still be dealt with by the Family courts amidst the covid-19 pandemic. Are the Family Courts Still Open? The family courts remain functioning despite the covid-19 outbreak with court… Read more »

The home is often seen as a place of safety, but the Greater Manchester’s Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime made a statement today, sadly but not surprisingly, confirming that they are preparing for an increase in serious domestic violence incidents due to the current Covid-19 UK lockdown. It is expected that new incidents of domestic violence… Read more »

The impact that Coronavirus has undoubtedly had on adults and childrens’ day-to-day lives is indisputable. For families, particularly those who are co-parenting, the impacts could be very tricky. Further to the most recent ‘lockdown’ measures imposed by the Prime Minister,  many parents are asking their family lawyer:  “Which parent will my children stay with during… Read more »

Following in the footsteps of the Supreme Court, which began broadcasting selected civil cases in late 2018, the Court of Appeal is set to live-stream family cases on the judiciary website, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter with the first hearing anticipated later this year. The aim of this decision is to promote transparency in the family… Read more »

When spouses choose to separate, they are able to agree the terms of a financial settlement between themselves, through a method of Alternative Dispute Resolution or through solicitors. Any such agreement can take a variety of forms such as a verbal agreement, informally in correspondence or formally through solicitors. Usually, if using solicitors, the parties… Read more »

Between 2008 and 2018, cohabiting couple families continued to grow faster than married or lone parent families overall in the UK, with 25%* more cohabiting compared to the previous decade. If you are currently cohabiting you are not protected by matrimonial laws and you both need to carefully consider protecting any assets you bring into the relationship…. Read more »

Opposite sex couples can now take advantage of the recent change in the law allowing them to enter into a civil partnership. Ann Chamings and John Eccles became one of the first couples in the UK to become opposite sex civil partners on New Years Eve 2019. They had been in a relationship for 43… Read more »

When unhappy couples spend time together over Christmas without the day-to-day distractions of working life, that time can really clarify why you might not want to spend another stressful holiday together. If it is an amicable divorce or separation that you want despite the circumstances behind your parting ways, a solicitor will be a calm… Read more »

Concerns have been doing the rounds lately regarding the resolution of cross-border legal disputes post-Brexit. However, it appears The Private International Law (Implementation of Agreements) Bill aims to address this by effectively safeguarding the Hague Convention. What is the Hague Convention? The Hague Convention consists of a series of treaties created with the aim to… Read more »

Divorce rates in the UK have officially hit a record low. According to the Office for National Statistics, there were a total of 90,871 divorces between heterosexual couples in 2018. That reflects a drop of 10.6% in comparison to 2017 and the lowest recorded number since 1971. The reasoning behind this has been widely considered… Read more »