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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...
The news that Angelina Jolie has filed for divorce from her husband, Brad Pitt has caused a media storm with newspapers and gossip magazines eager to report on all the gory details of the reasons for the split of the Hollywood couple. However, because...
The Guardian newspaper has recently reported on the success of a new government funded initiative by the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass) and the Tavistock Centre for Couple Counselling to support parents affected by what is...
What is Parental Responsibility and do I have it? Many parents consult us about what is meant by the phrase Parental Responsibility. Parental Responsibility (PR) is defined under the Children Act 1989 as “All the rights, duties, powers,...
The summer holidays are almost upon us, and many parents consult us in relation to what they can or cannot do in relation to taking their children on holiday. If there is no Order in place the consent of all those with parental responsibility is required...
Local legal firm, Chattertons, is pleased to welcome Sameena Alladin to their Family Department . She has recently joined the Firm after Chattertons acquired the practice of Henry Thompson & Sons (Grantham) in March. Sameena is based at the Firm’s...
Recent divorce statistics provided by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows rates for divorcing couples in aged 60 and above have significantly increased since the 1990s. In fact, according to the ONS, for people aged 60 and...
Family Law Solicitors Nick Robertshaw reflects on a well prepared pre-nuptial agreement. Celebrity divorces are not often out of the news, but two recent cases caught my eye, not only because of who was involved, but also because they seemed to highlight...
Were all financial matters resolved when you divorced? In a recent landmark ruling a woman whose marriage broke down more than 30 years ago has won the right to the seek payments from her ex-husband. The case highlights the importance of obtaining a...
Many people think that if you live with a partner for a couple of years you acquire the same rights as married couples. In fact, unmarried couples have hardly any automatic rights at all. A Living Together or Cohabitation Agreement can be used...
