Family Law

Where should post-marriage financial dependency end? In a world with a greater emphasis on independence, is the law holding back on allowing divorced couples the freedom to move on and become less reliant on their former partner? This issue was raised in a recent Court of Appeal case where a former spouse was Ordered to […]

In the UK same-sex couples now have the option to enter into either a civil partnership or marriage. This is in contrast to heterosexual couples, who can currently only enter into a marriage. Many people see this as unfair.  For some heterosexual couples a civil partnership would offer a formal, legal tie, but without the […]

The Law Commission has published new proposals which aim to make the enforcement of family financial orders “more effective, accessible and fair” and implement tough sanctions for those who refuse to pay their former spouse’s divorce settlement. The Commission states that many divorcees are ignoring the orders, with as many as 4,200 enforcement cases each […]

You will have no doubt heard about the tragic case of a young girl dying of cancer whose wish was for her body to be cryogenically frozen; her hope being that one day in the future a cure will be found for cancer and that her body can be ‘reactivated’ so that she can live […]

Today will see 150 family lawyers travel to Westminster to meet with their MP in a campaign for no fault divorce. The campaign is run by Resolution, a 6,500 strong organisation that believes in a non-confrontational approach to family law. So what is meant by no fault divorce and why is this so important? As […]

Recently it has been suggested that British Courts should be able to issue Islamic divorces through a specialised unit with the aim of protecting the rights of Muslim Women. Elham Manea, a Professor at Zurich University, is due to make recommendations to the home affairs select committee, proposing compulsory civil marriages alongside religious ceremonies and […]

With the summer holidays here and the sun finally shining, we can all look forward to some relaxed time with friends and family. For separated parents though it is not simply a case of stocking up on ice lollies and digging out the sun cream. The summer holidays can bring a host of complications, requiring […]

Whilst the country is still in shock from the EU referendum result, we take a look at how Brexit might impact on family law in England and Wales. Family law Family law is not unique in the sense that a move away from the EU will involve a certain amount of ‘detangling’ from EU legislation, […]

In March of last year, a woman’s right to lodge a claim for financial provision more than 2 decades after her divorce was finalised was unanimously upheld by the Supreme Court. Lord Wilson verified Ms Wyatt’s claim as ‘legally recognisable’ and held it was not an ‘abuse of process’. However, the decision caused turbulence for […]

Following the surge in publicity after the leak of information from the law firm Mossack Fonseca (aka the Panama Papers), David Cameron and his government are feeling pressure to be more transparent with their personal tax and financial affairs. It should come as no surprise, however, that the hiding of assets in off shore tax […]

Divorce is common in the UK with almost half of all marriages sadly ending in divorce. Many people no longer see marriage as a life time commitment. Couples are often keen to finalise a quick divorce and settlement of finances to reduce heartache, stress and emotional strain. At present, the sole ground for divorce in […]

In the news recently a heterosexual couple have been seeking to challenge why civil partnerships are not currently available to couples of the opposite sex http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-35352629 A High Court Judge has permitted a legal challenge to proceed in the recent case involving Rebecca Steinfield and Charles Keidan. An online petition has so far attracted almost 3,000 […]