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Usually, as soon as you become a parent, you assume parental responsibility for your child. This means that you must provide a home for your child, protect and care for...
Divorce is a complex process, the outcome of which is subject to many considerations, agreements and negotiations. Often, it can be hard for a couple going through such an emotionally...
A child arrangements order is an agreement under English family law that states a child’s living arrangements and with whom they can have contact and spend time with. The term...
There are many reasons why unrelated people choose to live together. Some may be involved in a romantic relationship which has not or has not yet progressed to marriage. Some...
Family Law has witnessed significant changes over the past decade, especially concerning fathers’ applications for contact, to spend time with or to care for their children. In this comprehensive analysis,...
As an experienced Family Law Solicitor, I am often asked questions relating to financial settlements after divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership. Below, I share some helpful insights. How...
Many couples, particularly those where one partner has greater wealth, assets or business interests than the other, will enter into a prenuptial agreement prior to marriage. A prenuptial agreement is...
A family law solicitor is a qualified legal expert who can help you to navigate complex and sometimes traumatic areas of law, including divorce, domestic abuse, estate planning and child...
Unmarried couples do not have the same legal protections that marriage affords a divorcing couple. When an unmarried couple chooses to separate, a number of issues can arise over finances,...
It’s easy to think that because you and your partner have been together for years and are buying or renting a property together, that you will benefit from the same...
The breakdown of a relationship is a difficult time for any family and emotions can run particularly high when children are involved. Decisions have to be made regarding with whom...
The end of a marriage is never easy to experience, with divorce routinely cited among the most highly stressful life events we can go through. To make matters worse, one...
Being a grandparent is one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. You get to love and care for a child, delight in watching them grow and learn, and...
Some liken the emotions experienced after a divorce to those experienced when a loved one passes away. In many ways, this is a fair comparison, especially when the divorce was...
Couples frequently ask how long a divorce takes. They often want the process to complete as quickly as possible so that they can separate their affairs and move on with...
Divorce is one of the most stressful experiences that any of us will encounter in our lifetime. For some, a marital breakdown is a precursor to financial concerns and uncertainty...
Parental alienation cases are often the most complex and difficult for both practitioners and the courts to deal with. They require expert intervention such that we provide at Goodsells Family...
For most individuals, their pensions are often their most valuable asset and can be a cause for significant concern during a divorce, with many people wanting to protect their pension...
Divorces can be very turbulent and emotional for all those involved, particularly concerning what happens to the family home often being one of the most complicated issues to resolve. It...
Business assets can be particularly challenging to deal with during divorce. Their value must be considered as part of the division of finances, however, this doesn’t mean that the business...
How assets will be split between the separating couple is, unsurprisingly, one of the issues people tend to be most anxious about in a divorce. There are really two sides...
A divorce can be both emotionally and financially challenging. To obtain the right division of marital assets is essential, both for your immediate situation and your long term financial security....
If your child or children attend a fee-paying school, or this was the intention for their education, the cost of school fees must be considered during divorce. This can often...
The sale or disposal of an asset can attract Capital Gains Tax (CGT) as another unwelcome added expense at the time of divorce. The current rates of CGT are 10%,...
No-fault divorce has been introduced in England and Wales Here, Donna Goodsell, Principal of Goodsells Family Law, discusses how a ‘no-fault divorce’ will affect divorcing couples in England. What are...
Here, Donna Goodsell, Principal of Goodsells Family Law, discusses pre nuptial and post nuptial agreements, and their role when considering divorce in England. What is a pre nuptial or post...
‘No-fault’ divorce was officially brought into effect in England and Wales on 6 April 2022, as a part of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020. The changes have been...
When multiple divorce petitions appeared at a divorce unit in Bury St Edmunds, all containing identical wording in relation to the grounds for divorce, Deputy District Judge McHardy felt that something...
Just like any other major asset, pensions should be considered carefully when seeking a divorce financial settlement. You should discuss your pension assets with your divorce solicitor as part of the...
When a marriage ends you will need to agree how the family finances are divided. This is a simple sentence to write, but, in many cases, a very difficult thing...
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that marriage rates in the UK (i.e the number of persons of all ages marrying per 1,000 of the UK population,...
Raising children is not an easy task and when you and the other parent are no longer living together following divorce or separation, it can be particularly tricky. Some changes...
Recent research has shown that in the 1970s prenuptial agreements were a factor in approximately 1.5% of UK marriages. By the turn of the century, this figure had risen substantially. Since 2000,...
The concept of what makes a successful prenuptial agreement is a complex one. As the law currently stands in England and Wales, ‘prenups’ are not automatically legally binding. However, there...
When a couple separates, disputes over the arrangements for children are often the most contentious and emotionally charged. Ideally, these matters should be resolved through negotiation, mediation and by mutual...
This guide to divorce mediation explains what mediation is, how it works, when it is necessary and how a divorce lawyer can assist you. It also looks at the differences...
Changing your own name after divorce is a very personal choice. You may have a strong desire to lose your married name; however, changing the name of your children is...
With coronavirus travel restrictions finally lifting, it’s a good time to think about the legal position of separated parents in relation to taking the children on holiday abroad. For many...
When parents end their relationship, they may find that one of the most difficult issues to handle will be arrangements for the children. Decisions about where the children will live...
Some consider life to be too short to spend in a relationship that isn’t right for you. Breaking up with your partner is never easy, whatever age you are or...
The pandemic has turned everyone’s lives upside-down. How is your relationship managing the strain? Is it time for a change? Let’s find out more. It’s fair to say 2020 has...
The Family Law case of OG v AG [2020] EWFC 52 examined the issue of conduct, which is one of the statutory factors the court must consider when deciding how to divide...
Significant changes are coming to the UK’s divorce process, including the introduction of the ‘no-fault’ divorce. Let’s find out more. On June 25th, the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act received Royal Assent...
We wish to assure our clients, old and new, that we remain open for business and continue to be available to assist you during this difficult time. If and when...
Last month, government guidelines were announced to control the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the UK. As of the 23 March, the public has been told to stay at home...
As China begins to get a glimpse of life on the other side of coronavirus, it seems that not everyone has been feeling the love during quarantine. It emerged that...
You wouldn’t pull out your own teeth, so why would you try to arrange your own divorce? Here’s why you need a solicitor to help you. It’s tempting, sure. You want...
If you’re thinking about divorce once Christmas is out of the way, you’re not alone. Don’t panic, however. Help is at hand. Every January at Goodsells Family Law, we see...
One of the most difficult and stressful parts of the divorce process is working out the financial settlement. It can be even more difficult if you believe your ex-spouse may...
Going through a divorce can be difficult and stressful. Probably the hardest part of the divorce process is agreeing on a financial settlement. This is even harder if previously during...