How legal agreements can help cohabiting couples
Many believe there is such a thing as common law marriage giving them the same legal protection as married couples. Unfortunately for them, this is not true. Cohabiting couples have very few automatic rights and this can cause numerous problems. For example, if your home is in your ex-partner’s name then you will have no…
Family Lawyers shocked by big money divorce case ruling
The decision has shocked many family lawyers and legal commentators. The issue arose earlier this year when the High Court identified some properties belonging to companies owned by Mr Prest. The judge held that Mr Prest was the sole owner of these companies and in sole control of them. It therefore followed that he was…
Sudden rise in court disputes over children
There’s also been an unexpected rise in the divorce rate. The number of court cases involving parental disputes over children had been falling steadily since 2009. However, official Ministry of Justice figures show that between April and June this year, there were 27,204 children involved in family court cases. That was a 14% increase on…
New guide to avoiding conflict in divorce
The guide, Separating Together: Your options for separation and divorce, follows an online poll by Resolution that revealed that 81% of people believe that it’s children who suffer most during a marriage break-up. This is in spite of the fact that 78% said that the children’s interests would be one of their top priorities. The…
Don’t get angry, get a solicitor
The Law Society has begun a hard hitting poster campaign featuring traumatic incidents that can arise out of everyday events such as divorce cases, neighbour disputes and disagreements over wills and probate. The poster relating to disputed inheritance shows an antique sideboard being threatened by a chainsaw; the divorce poster shows a car that has…
Mother prevented from taking her son on holiday abroad
The boy’s father had obtained an order prohibiting the mother from taking him on holiday to Turkey. The mother applied to the court for a review. Her father – the boy’s grandfather – provided evidence that he would not try to persuade her to remain in Turkey. He also said he would do his best…
Judge wants more rights for cohabiting couples
The call from Lady Hale is important because thousands of cohabiting couples are under the illusion that they have the same legal rights as people who are married. It’s a misconception that all too often leads to heartache. It could be that someone lives with their partner for 20 years yet ends up homeless and…
National Acclaim for Parveen Ahmed
Parveen worked for the Citizen’s Advice Bureau for over 10 years during which period she obtained her law degree from the Leeds University in 2002. She secured a training contract with Ison Harrison in 2002/2003 and qualified as a solicitor in 2005 to specialise in family work. She is a member of the Law Society’s…
Cohabitant entitled to a share of former partner’s property
The couple had started living together in 1986 at a farm bought by the man. Theyremained there until their relationship broke down in 1996. However, the partner remained on the farm and used it to run a cattery and kennel business. The couple had two children together. They kept in touch and continued to see…
Surge in number of parents abducting their children
In seven out of ten cases reported to reunite, it was mothers who were responsible for the abductions. The Acting Director of reunite, Alison Shalaby, said: “It isconcerning that we have seen such a large increase in the number of childrenabducted, especially as we know this is just the tip of the iceberg – manycases…
Till turning 60 do us part – divorce in later life
The latest figures show that the overall divorce rate across all age groups fell by 11% between 2007 and 2009. However, the figure for the over-60s rose by 4.2% to 11,507 over the same period. There are probably several reasons for this. People are living longer, more active lives. Many couples find they have grown…
Would you share your lottery winnings with your spouse?
If one hits the jackpot, they may be able to simply walk away without giving the other anything. The case involved a woman who had won £500,000 on the National Lottery. She bought the winning ticket with her own money and without her husband’s knowledge. The couple, who can’t be named for legal reasons, were…
Father faces repeated jail terms if he disobeys court orders
The issue arose following the breakdown of his relationship with the girl’s mother. He was allowed contact with his daughter but that wasn’t enough. In 2009 he abducted her and took her to Pakistan. The girl was then made a ward of court so the father took her to Iran, which has no arrangements with…
When divorcing couples try to ‘hide’ property
The courts, however, are prepared to set aside dubious transfers if it’s shown that they are simply an attempt to prevent a fair divorce settlement being reached. Such a case arose recently in which a husband used a company he owned to buy one of his properties worth up to £800,000. He then transferred the…
Sharp rise in civil partnership ‘divorces’
In 2010, 509 gay couples separated and dissolved their civil partnership. That was a 44% increase on 2009. Civil partnerships came into effect in December 2005. Since then, nearly 50,000 same sex couples have used them to formalise their relationships. More than 6,000 civil partnerships were registered in the UK last year, a slight increase…
Court orders that girl should live with grandmother
The parents had what was described in court as a “tumultuous relationship”. They had left their daughter with her maternal grandmother when she was one and a half years old. They later took her back but the authorities became concerned that they weren’t providing her with adequate care. Proceedings began and during a fact-finding hearing…
Judge wants to reform laws on divorce and cohabitation
Sir Paul Coleridge says an independent commission should be set up to look at ways of reforming the law relating to divorce and cohabitation because family relationships are now “unrecognisable” from 60 years ago when the last review was carried out. Sir Paul, who sits as Mr Justice Coleridge in the High Court, said that…
Divorcing couples must consider mediation before court action
This rule already exists for couples using legal aid. Now it will be extended to all couples. From 6th April onwards, the person disputing the divorce terms will have to go to a professional mediator who will then contact the other spouse and arrange a mediation awareness session. The divorcing couple can attend individually or…
New Year’s resolutions to protect yourself and your family
Make a will or bring your existing will up to date Making a will is one the easiest and best things you can do to protect the interests of the people you care about, it’s also the only way of ensuring that your wealth is passed on in the way you want. Unfortunately, many people…
Children ‘not too young’ to choose mother instead of father
A woman has won the right to keep her children with her in England after a court ruled that an eight-year-old and a six-year-old were not too young to have their views taken into account during a parental dispute. The case involved a couple who had three children during their marriage. The family had lived…