A marriage is a joyful occasion that comes with a legal bond between two people who commit themselves to each other. But as many people will know, it typically involves a great deal of planning to ensure the day itself runs smoothly. As part of that planning there are quite a few aspects that…
Divorce and relationship breakdowns can be challenging at the best of times. Not only does it affect the two individuals in the relationship, but it can have lasting impacts on the wider family too, especially if there are children involved. For this reason, it is crucial that as parents, the best interests of any…
There have been recent changes in the law that have largely been welcomed by the legal community. In particular changes to the divorce law have introduced a degree of common sense to the process and probably made it less antagonistic. However, as engagement models for legal support have evolved over time, with some online…
In the UK it would appear that marriage rates are declining. The office for National Statistics stated that for 2020 ‘marriage rates have fallen to their lowest on record. For men, there were 7.4 marriages per 1,000 men not in a legal partnership compared with 19.1 in 2019; for women, there were 7.0 marriages…
Recently, the Ministry of Justice put forward proposals to legally enforce mediation on parents who are separating. The proposals introduce a new power for judges to order divorcing parents to make reasonable attempts in mediation. Couples could face fines for refusing mediation. The family court system is currently overburdened and enforced mediation may help…
The end of the winter festive season can see couples deciding that their relationship has broken down to such an extent that they are best served by divorce. The pandemic may have delayed some activity in this respect but news sources suggest that January 2023 is showing a spike in couples seeking help from…
Interest in prenups has grown significantly in recent years. Increased media coverage of celebrity prenups is one factor. Perhaps more significant is that couples are now marrying at a later age. Couples getting married today are on average in their mid-30s, a 10-year increase since the 1970s. At this age, they may have already…
Throughout the summer months we are taking down the barriers to talking to a family law specialist. For the initial telephone or video call you don’t need to worry about costs because we will not charge for this. We also realise that later appointments can be easier for those with busy work schedules or…
Plans to implement the long-anticipated Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 in the autumn of 2021 have been delayed by a further six months. The government has now committed to introducing the reforms on 6th April 2022. The reforms will for the first time allow for a no-fault divorce, removing the obligation for separating…
Many small businesses are owned by members of the same family. Going through a divorce can be a difficult and often distressing process, which can become increasingly complex when there is also a family business to consider. There is often confusion as to how a divorce may impact a family business. If one of…