Family Law

Same sex marriage came into force in England and Wales on 29th March 2014 and in the first three months over 1,400 same sex couples wed. From 10th December 2014, those in civil partnerships can convert to gay marriage. A… Read More

When a relationship breaks down, a decision will have to be made as to what should be done with the family home. It will often be the case that one owner decides to take on the other owner's share of the property and this can give you a… Read More

Emsleys Head of Family Law, Gabbie Clasper, tells of the recent well-documented case of Bakir v Downe2014) which highlights the risks of representing yourself in the family Court without a solicitor or barrister. The case involved a… Read More

The Court of Appeal has recently published its decision in the case of Southwell v Blackburn [2014] EWCA Civ 1347 for an ex-partner to pay a lump sum to his previous partner when they split, despite them not being married and her name not… Read More

From 22nd October 2014, the court must presume that the involvement of the parent (of whom a child does not primarily live) will further the child's welfare. The new piece of legislation (Section 11 of the Children and Families… Read More

The Government plans to introduce new rules by November 2014 to enable those adopted as children, and the children, grandchildren and other relatives of those adopted, to trace their family history.  As the law currently stands, only… Read More

As part of the changes to the family justice system in England and Wales, the Government has announced their intention to make it the norm for children aged 10 and over to have access to the judge who is asked to make decisions about where… Read More

The summer holidays are almost upon us. For many that will mean sun, sea, sand and smiley faces. Spare a thought, however, for families experiencing the uncertainty of separation. Here are some tips and guidance to those families for whom… Read More

I was asked this question by a friend the other day. As a solicitor, I find I get asked legal questions by family and friends fairly regularly. Bizarrely, someone once asked me if he could fence off a piece of seemingly unused land and… Read More

I saw a question on an online forum recently which asked whether or not divorce mediation was compulsory. In very general terms, mediation is not compulsory in family law matters and is certainly not compulsory in divorce. Anybody can… Read More

Equalities minister, Sajid Javid, has announced that same-sex couples will be able to convert their civil partnerships to marriages from 10th December 2014. To do this, a couple will now have to attend a registry office and sign a… Read More