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Published: 17th October 2018
A long-awaited change is being called for in the wake of a new case where wrongful advice was provided by a McKenzie friend which subsequently resulted in the breach of an interim court order. Earlier this year, a British couple made the decision to take their child out of the country, claiming that they were acting on the advice of a McKenzie friend.
Published: 2nd October 2018
Family law organisation Resolution have welcomed the news that the government intend to introduce a no-fault divorce system in England and Wales, following the recent publishing of a government consultation paper on no-fault divorce.
Published: 18th September 2018
As Brexit creeps ever closer, new plans were released on the 13th of September by the Government, explaining how the countries leaders intend on dealing with Family Law matters in the event of a “no-deal” Brexit on 29th of March 2019.
Published: 5th September 2018
Couples who have made the decision to divorce one another want nothing more than a simple process that requires little or no blame, according to a recent survey. The recent survey revealed that 80% of the 1,000 people who took part would have proceeded with a no fault divorce, if there was such an option.
Published: 15th August 2018
A wife has been awarded £100,000 in damages after a driver killed her husband during their divorce proceedings. In January 2014, Mrs Craven filed for divorce and separated from her husband after he was caught having an affair. In June 2014 Mr Craven was involved in a tragic road accident which left him dead at the scene.
Published: 8th August 2018
The Ministry of Justice have said they are considering reforms to the divorce system in England and Wales following the landmark Owens v Owens case. Mrs Owens has had her divorce petition and subsequent appeal rejected, even though the judge has acknowledge that her marriage to Mr Owens has broken down.
Published: 10th July 2018
The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favour of civil partnership campaigners Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, labelling the ban on civil partnerships for opposite-sex couples as 'discriminatory' and a breach of human rights.
Published: 20th June 2018
The House of Lords passed the Divorce (Financial Provision) Bill through its second reading in January 2017, and although as of yet there is no set date for the Committee stage, the Bill is likely to have a significant impact on the divorce landscape in England and Wales. The Bill is considered to be designed to bring laws in England and Wales in line with those in Scotland, following admiration for laws in the North; but what impact will the Bill have on finances in divorce?
Published: 6th June 2018
According to leading children’s charity Barnardo’s, children affected by domestic violence and abuse require specialist help in order to learn how to cope with the trauma and live a normal life. Barnardo’s are very experienced in working closely with cases of domestic abuse, offering a total of 14 specialist domestic abuse services. From their own research, they suggest that children that come from families where domestic abuse occurs are likely to be affected for the rest of their lives, as well as being vulnerable in different ways too. Whilst there are many different services throughout the UK that focus on working closely with adults experiencing domestic abuse, it is thought that there isn’t a big enough focus on the trauma that children suffer as part of it.
Published: 1st June 2018
Following the trial of an online divorce pilot, the Courts Service have stated that they will produce a new digital family law service, providing clients and lawyers with a range of benefits which will make the whole process much simpler. One of the key features is that lawyers will be able to submit petitions for their clients, which is likely to lead to fewer errors that currently occur on a regular basis.
Published: 2nd May 2018
According to a new report released by the Nuffield Foundation, couples within divorce proceedings are taking part in ineffective court battles that are completely unnecessary, due to the lack of no-fault divorces within England and Wales. Led by Professor Liz Trinder of Exeter University, the Nuffield Foundation conducted a study consisting of 500 divorces, finding that many of couples who has been through a divorce were forced into cases that the law itself instigated.
Published: 26th April 2018
The Pensions Advisory Group has published two reports based on the legal issues of pensions in divorce cases, following a ‘Pensions of Divorce’ study which was funded by the Nuffield Foundationand backed by the Cardiff University School of Law and Politics.
Published: 19th April 2018
Earlier this month, at the BASPCAN 10th International Congress at the University of Warwick, the Senior President of Tribunals, Sir Ernest Ryder, spoke aboutthe justice system and thepart it plays in decision-making for children. Sir Ernest Ryder focused on the approach that is currently in place in relation to children, as well as how evidence influences judicial decisions.
Published: 12th April 2018
The latest figures, released by the Ministry of Justice, show that an increasing number of grandparents are going to court to secure the right to see their own grandchildren. Grandparents can play a significant role in the lives of their grandchildren and so iftheir own child and partner separate a difficult situation may arise with regard to access and contact with grandchildren, leading them to take relevant action.
Published: 26th March 2018
When granting a parental order to a couple where one of the partners is gay, Sir James Munby said that a sexual relationship is not a requirement for a valid marriage in relation to parental orders in surrogacy cases. The case was based on requirements for a parental order under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008, with Munby passing a swift judgement outlining the requirements for what is considered a valid marriage.
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If you would like to visit our team of family solicitors, we have offices in Henley-on-Thames, Woodley, Reading (Head Office), Reading (Central), Basingstoke, Guildford, Beaconsfield, Ascot, Newbury & Winchester. We serve a wide range of other areas including Abingdon, Bracknell, Gerrards Cross, Maidenhead, Marlow, Oxford, Slough, High Wycombe and Wokingham.
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