The private route to resolving issues

The family court is vital and irreplaceable. Its structure, boundaries and rules make for a fair process and predominantly fair outcomes. The skills of judges in cutting through multi-faceted issues mean that families leave with workable solutions. And people who are subject to a home-life of violence and harassment can get swift protection.     However, the […]

“We disagree on vaccinating our child”

Many experts are calling for children over the age of 12 to be vaccinated against Covid-19 ‘as soon as possible’. That’s in order to achieve herd immunity against the Delta variant.  And while this may be an important step in protecting the population and keeping youngsters in school, it will raise strong feelings and concerns […]

Laying down the law on domestic abuse

The Domestic Abuse Bill has received Royal Assent. This means that some significant improvements to the way in which domestic abuse should be dealt with, and its victims protected, are now firmly set out in law.

Thomas Mansfield’s Guildford team raises money for legal services in the South East

Members of Thomas Mansfield’s Guildford office participated in the 10km Guildford Legal Walk through the Surrey countryside on 30 June 2021. The aim was to collect money for London Legal Support Trust, an independent charity that raises funds for free legal services in London and the South East. The Guildford Legal Walk is one of […]

Latest statistics show increase in Family Court cases

The Ministry of Justice has released the Family Court statistics for January to March 2021.

The court system seems to be maintaining its recovery from the COVID pandemic, but since the last quarterly review there has been an increase in the number of cases commenced in the Family Courts, with a rise in financial remedy applications (29%), domestic violence (15%) private law (5%) and matrimonial and adoption cases  (1%).

No-fault divorce pushed back to 6 April 2022

News broke last week that the introduction of the much anticipated reform of divorce law in England and Wales has been delayed. Head of Thomas Mansfield’s Family team, Susi Gillespie, said: “Whilst it is disappointing that the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (‘no-fault divorce’) will not now come into effect until 6th April 2022 […]

Divorce patterns

A recent study reported that couples with teenage daughters are more likely to divorce than those that have sons.  This is particularly common among first-time parents of 15-year-old girls. The reason being that this is a stressful period for parents who may have different views on how to deal with the challenging behaviour that some […]

“Let’s live together”

Moving in with a partner is a milestone. It’s the merging of clothes, cutlery and customs. It’s the beginning of a new chapter, and one that’s usually embarked on enthusiastically. But for all the excitement and the frivolity that comes with tussling over control of the TV remote, there are some serious legal issues in […]

Private children: Facing the issues

The Family Solutions Group report refers to a ‘series of scattergun initiatives’ and points to a fundamental flaw in the idea that children’s rights and welfare can be protected while they are not present in what is an indirect adult-driven agenda. Kate Newton highlights key recommendations in the report of the Family Solutions Group to […]

What impact has the pandemic had on relationships?

Anthony Kiernan, Consultant in the Family law department at Thomas Mansfield Solicitors, comments to the Wealden Times on the impact of the pandemic on relationships. “The pandemic has… increased the number of domestic abuse incidents”, says Anthony. He also notes that there has been a “huge change in the way that the family courts deal […]

Must I return an expensive gift to my ex-partner?

Family lawyer Hollie Foreman answers a reader’s question in the FT Money. She talks about legal and moral aspects of returning an expensive gift to an ex-partner who demands it back. Does the reader have to return the jewellery just because the financial situation of her ex has worsened? Does he really have a legal […]

Ex-husband refuses to be vaccinated

Susi Gillespie, Head of the Family law department, has featured in the FT Money with advice to a parent who wants to ban her ex-husband, a frontline worker, from visiting the children because he refuses to be vaccinated. The reader is worried that he might spread the virus to her vulnerable parents and herself through […]

Family Mediation

It’s Family Mediation Week. This is an annual awareness-raising event that shines a spotlight on alternative ways of resolving issues within families. By ‘alternative’ I mean ‘a way other than through the courts’. Most people who come to me for advice about divorce or about a dispute with their former partner over child contact arrangements, […]

Meet the mediator

A report published at the end of 2020 once again highlighted a need for families to avoid taking their disputes to court if they can. The court system is overburdened; cases are taking too long to come before judges. And there is wide recognition that alternative dispute resolution methods can get families not just a […]