Family

Potential arguments can be avoided and acrimonious atmospheres dissolved by taking the precaution of making a post-nuptial or pre-nuptial agreement. Should couples choose to take this step, what must their legal adviser bear in mind, what are the necessary actions, and how have the courts treated such agreements?

Nuptial agreements: Sarah Scriven runs through the key points to consider now, to avoid disputes later

One in ten crown court cases (6,073 cases) have been delayed for more than two years, the latest statistics reveal.

The number of wills and inheritance disputes has risen in recent years

A financial claim in divorce cannot proceed if one spouse dies, the Supreme Court has held

Lawyers have firmly rejected Ministry of Justice (MoJ) proposals for mandatory mediation in family cases.

How are the courts applying the law in relation to the issue of ‘parental alienation’? Luke Scarratt, senior associate at Payne Hicks Beach, investigates how the law is being applied and what tools the courts have at their disposal.

Parental alienation has the potential to cause serious harm to families & children: Luke Scarratt discusses the tools at the court’s disposal when it raises its head

The third Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010) Practice Direction update of 2023 has been issued, amending various Practice Directions including, inter alia, the revocation of FPR 2010, PD 36ZB (Pilot scheme: Procedure for using an online system to complete and file certain applications for an adoption order) and its replacement with a new Practice Direction, FPR 2010, PD 41E (Procedure for using an online system to complete and file certain applications for an adoption order). 

Recent years have shown how quickly fortunes can change: Stephen Gerlis makes the case for regular reviews of maintenance payments in private family law