It was historically the case that children would only be spoken to in court proceedings if the court ordered a ‘section 7 report’ whereby the children would be spoken to in the preparation of that report, or if the court appointment a guardian...
Yes, you can. Our family lawyers have handled cases of incarcerated spouses. Imprisonment can sometimes be a fact of life and it does not prevent you from initiating divorce proceedings if you choose to do so. As long as there is a method of...
Parental responsibility is a legal term that refers to the rights, duties, and responsibilities a parent has towards their child. Having parental responsibility doesn’t automatically give you the right to contact or spend time with your child. ...
A guardian can be appointed by the court for the children in specified proceedings. The guardian should be an experienced social care worker. Their main job is to represent the child’s best interests throughout the legal process. They are there to...
Employment Rights Bill enters the ‘ping pong’ phase As we enter the winter months of 2025, many had anticipated that we would have a shiny new statute on the statute books: the Employment Rights Act 2025 . This has not...
When does the obligation to pay child maintenance end and in what circumstance can it continue beyond age 16? Child maintenance usually ends on 31 August after your child turns 16, but only if they leave full-time education or training. If your child...
Trying to decide the plans for Christmas Day can be a difficult conversation for any family, but even more so for separated parents who cannot agree on the arrangements for the children on Christmas Day or during the Christmas period more generally. What...
From applying for the divorce to finalising the divorce, the process can typically take a minimum of 26 weeks. The parties will need to wait 20 weeks from their divorce application until they can apply for a conditional order. After that, they will need to...
Can a court hearing be adjourned if there’s been a bereavement to a close friend or family member? Court hearings can be adjourned in certain circumstances. This means they can be rearranged to another date, dependant on court availability. When...
Government makes changes to its proposed ‘ban’ on Fire and Rehire under the Employment Rights Bill The Employment Rights Bill makes major strides towards ending ‘fire and rehire’. That’s the strategy where an...