Help With Mediation for Divorce and Separation
Some other court fees connected with divorce have also increased. To defend a divorce petition, called an Answer, costs £255. To obtain the final document which legally finishes the marriage, called a decree absolute, costs £45. If financial arrangements are agreed, to obtain an agreed order, called a consent order, costs £45. Depending on your financial position… Read more »
The media seem to have been telling us that modern fathers now play a large part in sharing the time it takes to care for their children. But is it true? Are fathers playing equal time in looking after their children? In his new book, Gideon Burrows, who does share equal care of his children,… Read more »
Following completion of its public consultation on its response to the Family Justice Review, the Government has published its plans on shared parenting, which are contained in the Children and Families Bill 2013. This includes a clause, amending the Children Act 1989, so that a court will have to presume, unless the contrary is shown,… Read more »
The Ministry of Justice has published divorce hot spots in order to urge couples to use divorce mediation to ease the dispute rather than fighting it out in court. Legal Aid will stop for most family matters after March 2013 but will remain for divorce mediation. The Government will be putting more money into supporting… Read more »
Mediation is voluntary. It is not unusual for one party to be keen to mediate but the other refuses to attend. If that happens then family mediation cannot go ahead. Some people think that mediation can be forced on you by a court. This is wrong. A court does not have that power. However, a… Read more »
The Government has launched a web app, “Sorting out Separation”, to help separating parents make arrangements for their children and other matters arising on separation. Amongst its many sections the app has a section on Family Mediation. At the same time a YouGov poll was published concerning parents access to help when separating. This is important as… Read more »
Many people believe that cohabiting couples who break up have legal rights against each other: the so called “common law husband and wife”. In fact this is a myth as they have no rights based on the fact of their cohabitation. In 2007 the Law Commission (an independent body which reviews the law of England… Read more »
The government believe that mediation is often a better way of resolving disputes about arrangements for children or finances following relationship breakdown. This does not just apply to the couple concerned but could include other family members such as grandparents. In order to encourage anyone wanting to apply to the court for an order relating… Read more »
On a divorce a court can look at all the assets owned by the parties to the marriage. Amongst other types of order, a court can order one party to transfer an asset he or she owns to the other party. Sometimes what are owned are shares in a company and the company itself owns… Read more »
For some years the topic of shared parenting has been a popular theme for those involved with arrangements for children after the separation of their parents. Lone fathers groups have been very vocal and achieved a high profile in arguing for a presumption of shared parenting. There has been discussion about what that means: some… Read more »