Will my ex pay my costs if I “win”?

In family law, it is not about winning and losing, it is about reaching a settlement that suits both parties and ensures the children are financially looked after. Courts do not generally order one party to pay the other’s costs when dealing with a financial case so the costs of proceeding should be factored into […]

Happy Holidays, hopefully

It’s the school summer holidays and single parents will be wanting to take their children abroad for a much deserved holiday. But, did you know that unless you have a court order confirming your child lives with you, you need the written consent of the other parent? Sometimes, this is not an issue and you […]

Special Guardianship Order

What does this mean? Well, an SGO is an order whereby someone is appointed to be the legal carer of a child until the child is 18. That carer is known as a Special Guardian and is usually a relative of the child, such as a grandparent or aunt/uncle. The Special Guardian will share parental […]

What is a Contact Centre?

Sometimes, when parents are separated and the children live with just one parent, there is a suggestion that the other parent should see the children at a Contact Centre. There are myths about this including that it means the parent cannot be trusted around children and needs to be supervised. This is not the case. […]

It’s really not my fault

Last year, I wrote a blog about the new divorce law which was due to come into effect in the Autumn of 2021. It has now come into effect and the online divorce portal is up and running So, what’s new? Well, now, provided one spouse considers the marriage to have broken down irretrievably, that […]

Ds and Es – financial statements explained

I am often asked by clients why they still have to file a statement setting out their financial positions when they have reached an agreement with their ex. Basically, there are two different financial statements that have to be completed depending upon whether there is an agreement, or whether you are negotiating a settlement with […]

Doggone!

“Doggone it!” is an expression of exasperation, often replacing “Goddamn it” and one that can rightly be used by one half of a separating couple on finding the other partner has left, taking the precious family dog. What can be done in such situations? It should be remembered that the family dog is a beloved […]

Father’s Day?

On Father’s Day, most fathers get to spend time with their children, even the ones who are separated from the children’s mother. However, some fathers are prevented from doing so because they have a poor relationship with the mother. Where parents are separated, it is vital that they maintain a civilised relationship for the sake […]

Joint ownership of property

When you buy a property with your partner, there are different ways in which you can own it which should be discussed with you by your conveyancer. Often, people don’t fully understand or properly consider this as the purchase of the property is exciting and you don’t usually think about what will happen if you […]

SPIP – why should I have to attend one?

Parents involved in court proceedings about their children are invariably ordered by the court to attend a SPIP – Separated Parents Information Programme. Often, the parents are offended by the suggestion that they need information on being a parent and baulk against having to attend. However, the purpose of the programme is not to teach […]