Family Law
Do grandparents have rights?
In many families, grandparents play a huge role in their grandchildren’s lives, their upbringing and their welfare - from providing childcare to supporting them financially through their education. As a society we are increasingly recognising the unique bond between grandparents and grandchildren....
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What happens if my child misses school during term time?
As the summer holidays approach, families may be thinking about removing their child from school during term time to take them on holiday. It is understandable why so many people consider this; after all, holidays are so much cheaper during term time and what harm will a few missed school days real....
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Courts changing their approach to the future of family law
Family law disputes have sometimes had a reputation for conflict. At a stressful time in your personal life, having to fight a court battle can be an unwelcome thought. In recent years, there has been a big shift away from this confrontational style of divorce proceedings. Now, updates to the fa....
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How to tell your children you’re getting a divorce
Making the decision to separate from your spouse can be absolutely heartbreaking. You are facing the prospect of breaking up your family and of moving forward into an uncertain future. Now, you might also be wondering how on Earth to tell your children you are splitting up without adding to their i....
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What is coercive control?
Until as late as 2015, legislation relating to domestic abuse related solely to physical violence. However, as domestic abuse victims know only too well, just because your partner, spouse or family member doesn’t hit, it doesn’t mean they can’t hurt. In 2015, a big shakeup of legislation fina....
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The importance of ‘clean break’ orders
If you have no assets to divide with your ex-spouse upon divorce, then surely there is no further legal action that needs to be taken? Unfortunately, this is of the biggest misconceptions we see amongst our Family Law clients here at Attwaters Jameson Hill. The assumption that divorce, once granted....
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Protecting yourself legally as an unmarried couple
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the number of marriages taking place in England and Wales decreased by 36.6% in the 30 years to 2019. Firstly, there is simply less societal pressure to get married these days. People are also less willing to shell out thousands of pounds for a....
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Parental alienation – a “handy tool for abusers”?
A study from the University of Manchester, published recently by the BBC, has revealed that dozens of children have been forced into contact with fathers accused of abuse. In all the cases, the fathers deflected accusations of abuse in the family courts using the controversial legal concept known a....
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No-fault divorce – one year (and a bit!) on
On 6 April 2022, one of the most anticipated pieces of legislation in recent years came into force: the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act, more commonly known as ‘no-fault’ divorce. It had long been felt by legal professionals and the general population that the UK’s divorce law was ser....
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Protecting your family’s wealth and assets with pre-nuptial agreements
Summer is well underway, meaning that wedding season is at its peak. In the leadup to the big day, we’re here to highlight the importance of pre-nuptial agreements and their role in keeping your wealth and assets safe. What is a pre-nuptial agreement? Pre-nuptial agreements are used to ....
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Why you need a cohabitation agreement
The number of couples who are living together without being married or entering into a civil partnership has massively increased in recent decades. According to a Commons Library briefing paper, the number of cohabiting couples rose from around 1.5 million in 1996 to around 3.6 million in 2021 – ....
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How a private FDR could speed up your divorce
As many people who have been through a divorce will know, it can be a long, drawn-out and emotionally difficult process. For some years now, this already traumatic situation has for many families been compounded by the severe delays plaguing the family court system. Government data published at ....
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Supporting Good Divorce Week 2022
The five days between 28 November and 2 December 2022 mark this year’s Good Divorce Week – an initiative from family law organisation, Resolution, to help divorcing and separating couples resolve their disputes outside of Court. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the family courts are fac....
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What counts as a ‘contribution’ in divorce proceedings?
When it comes to your divorce, it is natural that you will want your contributions to the marriage to be recognised and reflected in your eventual settlement. In UK divorce law, ‘contributions’ will include both: Financial contributions – for example, salary, rent or mortgage payments, bil....
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The Bank of Mum and Dad: Protecting family loans during divorce
The phrase ‘Bank of Mum and Dad’ – sometimes shorted to BoMaD – has become commonplace in the media to refer to the growing practice of family lending – whether to help a child onto the property ladder, contribute towards wedding costs, or even to support them with living costs and legal ....
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Important summer holiday advice for separated families
Now that coronavirus travel restrictions are all but lifted, many of us are looking forward to a summer holiday in sunnier climes. But for separated families, agreeing arrangements over the summer holidays can be very stressful. Problems often arise when one parent wants to take the children abroad....
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Domestic abuse doesn’t always leave a mark
Long gone are the days when cuts and bruises were needed for domestic abuse to be recognised by the authorities and wider society. These days, psychological and emotional abuse, economic abuse, as well as controlling or coercive behaviour, are all legally recognised as forms of domestic abuse and a....
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New divorce rules to come into force in April
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 will bring in fundamental changes to divorce law for the first time in 50 years. The Act will introduce ‘no fault divorce’ from 6 April 2022, and the new process will be entirely online. Couples whose marriage has irretrievably broken down will b....
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Dividing lives: financial and custody arrangements on divorce
Quite apart from the emotional upheaval of deciding to end your relationship, the prospect of detangling your finances after years or even decades spent with your ex-partner can be a daunting and stressful one. Moreover, decisions regarding the shared custody of any children you have together can b....
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Getting through your divorce with less stress
Making the decision to end your relationship is often difficult, stressful and life changing. And that’s before you even commence the process of detangling the life you’ve built together. Depending on your personal circumstances, there are ways to minimise the stress and emotional trauma that d....
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