Contested divorces are rare. I have undertaken three in my 30-year career on behalf of the Petitioner. All were successful with the grounds found by the judge to be established after hearing evidence from the parties. Such cases are very upsetting for
There have been a number of recent high profile cases where an ex-partner in a divorce has hidden money or assets to avoid them being included in the joint assets that will be divided by the court or an arbitrator. Among these
I hotly dispute the ‘divorce season’ myth, that family lawyers see an increasing number of divorce enquiries in January which are sparked by the strains of the festive period. In our experience, this month is quieter than usual and we receive more
Family lawyers in England and Wales don’t like the word ‘custody’, which became obsolete in 1990 with the Children Act. Before 1990, the key terms used were ‘custody’ (who has the main rights and duties for the child?), ‘care’ and ‘control’ (where
It is surprising that couples as wealthy as Amber Heard and Johnny Depp and now Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie wash their linen so publicly, when financially they are in a position not to do so. Their motives may perhaps lie with
What is Collaborative Divorce? This is an alternate dispute resolution that brings both parties and both of their solicitors into the same room in a series of four-way meetings. The approach is to achieve an agreed solution to family difficulties out of
More people than ever before are choosing to live together without ‘tying the knot’ – as reinforced by research from the ESRC Centre for Population Change. Yet, with Relate reporting that separation among cohabiting couples is running neck-and-neck with the divorce rate,
