Family Law Blog

Trying to reach an agreement about child contact with non-resident parents, especially when the situation may feel raw, can be difficult. However, the main focus has to be what is in the best interests of the child, rather than what you ideally want or what you feel you should be…

As a family law solicitor, most divorce cases I deal with rely upon the other party’s unreasonable behaviour as a reason to dissolve the marriage. But what does that mean? And how has the landscape changed recently? The current law relating to divorce proceedings dates back to 1973. Almost 45…

A recent Court of Appeal case set me thinking about privacy issues in divorce. In the case in question a divorcee embroiled in a legal fight over money with her ex-husband failed to persuade senior judges to bar journalists from revealing her identity. It has long been thought in some…

When I took a call a few weeks ago from my local newspaper asking for a comment on a report stating that 2.87 million Britons were in ‘distressed relationships’ I was at first stumped. Where had these frightening figures come from, and what did they really tell us? I soon…

As a family law solicitor this is one of the most common questions people ask when I first speak to them. It is a question that can be difficult to answer in clear terms. It all depends whether matters are agreed, whether the other party opposes the divorce or what…

Divorcing couples with children often find reaching an agreement about the care of their children after divorce or separation pretty difficult. Those who cannot reach an agreement amicably find themselves asking the family court to decide. Either party can make an application for what is known as a child arrangements…

We may think of them as part of the family but the law views cats, dogs and other pets just like cars, or houses in divorce – and that can lead to problems. Recently, I have had a couple of enquiries about who gets the dog when a relationship breaks…

It is a sad fact that however much two adults are hurt during a separation, invariably the children are hit even harder. As divorce solicitors, we hear a lot of their stories and it is always heart-breaking. It is something very private and personal so it was very brave of…

A recurring theme on this blog is the fact that adopting a non-confrontational approach to divorce is of benefit to all concerned. It may go against every natural instinct you have to be quick in responding to correspondence, making concessions on both sides to reach a settlement faster and, frankly, not…

A change is a good a rest, they say. And I have certainly made a change. I have the honour of being Woolley & Co’s most recent appointment to the growing firm. And so far, touch wood, all is good. It’s the change to the routine that has baffled me…