I was asked today if the introduction of no-fault divorce is the most significant Family Law development to have happened in my career. It’s certainly up there. For too long, divorce has been fairly one-dimensional. It has required separated couples to either wait a minimum of two years […]
Family law varies from country to country. Courts in each country (or, as in England and Wales, group of countries) have their own jurisdiction. This means their remit to deal with cases. And when it comes to divorce and other family issues that have an international element, there are various factors that need to be worked through […]
Divorce is difficult, on so many levels. But, as lawyers who help families untie bonds and reshape their future, we see the opportunity it brings for people to move on, equipped for the next phase in their lives.
One common myth we’re always keen to dispel is that divorce will be an entirely negative and hostile experience. The truth is that it doesn’t have to be […]
As a team of Family lawyers, we’ve long promoted the idea of ‘good divorce’. This is about enabling separated couples to work through the necessary steps – division of assets, arrangements for their children – together and with as little conflict as possible. Because collaborating to reach joint decisions, as opposed to having the courts […]
From 6 April 2022 the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 will come into force – introducing the so called ‘no fault divorce’ in England and Wales. The new law will apply to Civil Partnerships as well as to marriages. However, to simplify this piece, I will refer to no fault in the context of […]
Resolution, the national family justice organisation, is offering a free guide to families who are divorcing or separating. The parenting through separation guide is written by family professionals and is full of practical steps that parents can take to put their children first during a separation. The launch of the guide marks the start of […]
When Adele released the first single from her ‘divorce album’ a few weeks ago, it came with all the hype and hysteria to be expected when a megastar comes back on the scene after six years. ‘Easy on me’, a song about leaving a marriage, not only appealed to her long-term fans but also no […]
The family team has featured in the Solicitors Journal reiterating the advantages of the alternatives to courts, following the release of the Family Court quarterly statistics. As mediation specialists we advocate for out-of-court solutions as much as possible, and especially in cases where children are involved. In our article, we point out multiple benefits of […]
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%).
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
