As the law currently stands there is one ground for divorce, which is that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. This must be supported by one of five facts: Unreasonable behaviour. Adultery. Desertion. 2 years separation by consent. 5...
With the COVID-19 vaccine being quickly rolled out across the UK, there are concerns among some about the long-term impact and side effects of the vaccine. As a result, some are reluctant to get the vaccine themselves or let their children be vaccinated. The...
With over 18's now able to access their Covid-19 vaccination the issue of vaccinating children has become ever more present, but what happens when parents are unable to agree on whether or not to consent to their child or children receiving the...
Reforms to divorce law are imminent and it has just been announced will come into force on 6 April 2022. As lockdowns lift it is also anticipated that we may see a spike in divorces – where the stagnation of Covid-19 delayed unhappy couples from...
A separation can be a tough time for anyone, but where do you start if you are considering divorce proceedings, or have been served with a divorce petition by your partner, or you are struggling to agree on the best arrangements for your children and are...
If you live with your partner, or considering moving in together, you may have thought about a cohabitation agreement . But do you actually need one? There is, of course, no legal requirement to have a cohabitation agreement to live with a partner, but it...
Under a child maintenance arrangement, child maintenance is usually paid by the parent who does not have day-to-day care of the child or does not usually live with the child. If this payment is not forthcoming, the receiving parent could launch a civil legal...
The end of the Brexit transition period has had well-publicised effects on divorce for international couples, with changes in rules regarding where parties can get divorced. Impact of Brexit on pensions in a divorce Pensions are frequently...
The Chancellor has announced a range of measures to support the victims of domestic abuse in the Budget. Mr Sunak announced that there would be an extra £19 million spent to help victims of domestic violence as he recognised that abuse is one of the...
Family businesses are often described as the lifeblood of the economy and while many are hugely successful, running a business with a relative is not always plain sailing. Relationships can quickly sour, especially when money and livelihoods are at...
In England and Wales, divorce was in decline between 2005 and 2015. The most recent 10 years of data available from the ONS showed a 28% fall in the number of divorces in that decade. However, older people were seen to be bucking the trend. In the same...
Separating from your spouse can be a difficult time emotionally, however it can also cause a great deal of financial difficulty if one party is the 'breadwinner'. It can take considerable time to resolve financial matters on a final basis so what can...
There is no doubt that the one of the results of lockdown has been the pressure that it has put on families and relationships, and for some those pressures have become so intense that they have lead to separation or divorce. The effect on the family of...
Same-sex couples have been able to marry in England and Wales from March 2014. Since then, the number of divorces of same-sex couples has increased each year from very small numbers in 2015 to more than 800 in 2019. This reflects the increasing size of...
The 30 th November 2020 sees the start of the annual Good Divorce Week. Each year Resolution raises awareness of their members and the work that they do while upholding the Resolution Code of Practice. Resolution is a community of family justice...
When parents separate arrangements inevitably need to be made to enable the children to maintain a good relationship with each parent. There are different ways that this can be done. Arrangements can be made informally between the parents if they each agree...
Throughout the Coronavirus pandemic there has been a global surge in reports of domestic abuse, there has been a marked increase in calls to helplines and evidence suggests that the incidents are becoming more complex and serious. Not only have there been...
There are concerns that the latest spike in coronavirus transmissions may see more relationships taking a hit, after a surge in divorce enquiries following the nationwide lockdown. Back to school traditionally sees a peak in petitions for...
Many people are now facing the prospect of having to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return from foreign travel. For separated parents who are travelling with children this may create additional difficulties where the other parent has remained in the UK....
Domestic violence, also called domestic abuse , includes physical, emotional and sexual abuse in relationships or between family members. The issue of Domestic Violence has come to the fore in the press following the restrictions imposed as a result...
The COVID-19 outbreak has required organisations all over the world to adapt to new ways of working. Our family courts are in the same position and, as an essential service, they must adopt modern technology to continue to function. If you need to attend a...
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill made its way through the final stage of parliament last week. On the 17 th June the Bill was passed in the House of Commons following its third reading. The changes to be implemented by the Bill have long been...
Here at Chattertons we understand that the COVID-19 pandemic shall have only served to intensify any cracks in your relationships and any disagreements regarding the care of your children. We appreciate...
COVID-19 CLIENT NOTICE Chattertons are open and we are working hard to provide our usual high standard of service to our clients. We are now able to see clients for essential meetings, by appointment only. Most of our advisors are working...
Chattertons Solicitors are open for business. However we are following government recommendations and would encourage you not to visit any of our offices except by prior arrangement. We are closely monitoring the developments of COVID-19 and are...
The Split: Pre-Nuptial Agreements are not just for high profile cases Currently airing on BBC at the moment is TV drama "The Split". Featuring in the show are Fi and Richie Hansen, a rich and famous celebrity couple who entered into a...
Like many others, I very much welcomed the news that the first heterosexual couple; Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, had entered into a civil partnership following last year's ruling by the Supreme Court. After a five year struggle, the ruling led...
Grandparents can bring so much to a child’s life: the opportunity to learn new skills, explore family history and develop lasting and supportive relationships, to say the least. Grandparents are typically involved in a family life by: Helping out...
‘Pay as you go’ family legal advice - ‘unbundled or limited retainers’ Here at Chattertons we appreciate that not all of our clients have funds readily available to instruct us to go on record as acting for them in connection with...
According to the Office for National Statistics in 2017 there were 3.3 million cohabitating families in the United Kingdom and is it anticipated that these figures will rise. The law does not give cohabitees the same rights as married couples and...
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill received its first reading on 13 June. It will receive its second reading on a date to be announced. The Bill will establish 'no fault' divorce, which is something that campaigners have lobbied...
What is a no-fault divorce? January and the aftermath of the festive season can, unfortunately, be a peak time for divorce petitions. And there’s arguably more interest than usual this year. That's because the government has now completed a...
Many people may be lulled into a false sense of security after they obtain a Divorce from their spouse. Few realise that unless divorcing parties obtain a Financial Order from the Court, financial claims remain open against them. For that reason, it is...
International surrogacy arrangements have received very bad press in recent times. The proliferation of stories involving immigration complications, debates over exploitation and lengthy delays in establishing parentage, may have resulted in would-be parents...
International surrogacy arrangements have received very bad press in recent times. The proliferation of stories involving immigration complications, debates over exploitation and lengthy delays in establishing parentage, may have resulted in would-be parents...
International surrogacy arrangements have received very bad press in recent times. The proliferation of stories involving immigration complications, debates over exploitation and lengthy delays in establishing parentage, may have resulted in would-be parents...
The Home Office has recently published the results of its review into the use of Sharia law in England and Wales. The review has been prepared by a panel of experts (which includes family lawyers) and has examined the interplay between religious marriages...
Sadly, relationship breakdown affects not only the couple breaking up, but also any children of the family, whether they are natural children, adopted or step-children. Whilst most separating couples agree that their priority is their children’s...
The term “Parental Alienation” is now firmly on the Family Court’s radar and tough new measures are planned to combat it. Parental alienation refers to a process where one parent attempts to turn a child against the other, usually with the...
In October 2017, important changes were made to the Family Court’s guidance for children cases where domestic abuse has been alleged. The guidance was issued after widespread criticism that the family courts were not going far enough to protect the...
The horrifying crime of Female Genital Mutilation (or “FGM”) has been back in the spotlight recently. A channel 4 documentary, “The FGM Detectives”, has been following the work of a Bristol based detective chief inspector and her...
In this article Lauren Kelly, solicitor with Chattertons Solicitors, looks at why living together rather than marrying raises particular legal issues, and why a properly drafted agreement is vital to protect the interests of people in a cohabiting...
Many parents worry about the impact of divorce or separation on their children, but the impact is often exacerbated when the parents are unable to agree arrangements for the children and one parent ends up seeing much less of their offspring than prior to...
The impact of the end of a relationship, whether through separation or divorce, can cause stress for all involved, especially if disputes arise that seem intractable. Nevertheless it is vitally important to remember that the fundamental aim is to resolve the...
Separation and divorce are undoubtedly difficult and a time of heartache and conflict, even for couples who have mutually agreed that their marriage is over. Families have many practical things to deal with, such as minimising the impact on any...
For most lawyers acting for couples in divorce, the marriage certificate is a necessary document that must be presented to the Court when filing the divorce petition. Many people are surprised to see that at present only the names of the fathers of the bride...
For many couples involved in divorce proceedings the parties’ pension provision can form a very significant asset of the marriage. The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) has reviewed its online website content on pensions and divorce, and has...
Delay need not mean that your ex-spouse cannot bring a claim against you in respect of the finances of the marriage. The Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal by a husband in which he claimed, amongst other matters, that the trial judge had failed to have...
The Court of Appeal recently rejected an application for a reporting restriction order by a former wife involved in financial remedy proceedings against her husband. Tina Norman had claimed that her financial affairs were "private business" and...
According to Resolution, figures recently published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the current law is failing cohabiting families. Resolution, an organisation of 6,500 family lawyers committed to the constructive resolution of family...
