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29 April 2020 / David Burrows
Issue: 7884 / Categories: Features , Family , Divorce
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Henry VIII & a Divorce Bill

Henry VIII divorce bill
The time has come to consider the plight of the increasing numbers of people who are outside the pale of UK marriage laws, says David Burrows

My brother Gold in ‘Blame still alive’ tells of delays still over the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill due to decisions needed on rules and an online system for divorce (see ‘Civil Way’, Stephen Gold, NLJ columnist, 31 January 2020, p15). As I mention below the only thing left for judges is to decide if a period for the divorce process can be shortened. The question of why registering a divorce application—like a marriage or death—needs to involve the courts at all is unclear. Parallel money issues will stay. After JK v MK & anor [2020] EWFC 2, Mostyn J (declaration that a consent order application prepared one company acting for both spouses was not a conflict of interest) the whole case —ancillary aspects and all—can just be a matter of simple registration too.

Meanwhile the Bill ploughs

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Clarke Willmott—Matthew Roach

Partner joins commercial property team in Taunton office

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Farrer & Co—Richard Lane

Londstanding London firm appoints new senior partner

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Bird & Bird—Sue McLean

Commercial team in London welcomes technology specialist as partner

NEWS
What safeguards apply when trust corporations are appointed as deputy by the Court of Protection? 
Disputing parties are expected to take part in alternative dispute resolution (ADR), where this is suitable for their case. At what point, however, does refusing to participate cross the threshold of ‘unreasonable’ and attract adverse costs consequences?
When it comes to free legal advice, demand massively outweighs supply. 'Millions of people are excluded from access to justice as they don’t have anywhere to turn for free advice—or don’t know that they can ask for help,' Bhavini Bhatt, development director at the Access to Justice Foundation, writes in this week's NLJ
When an ex-couple is deciding who gets what in the divorce or civil partnership dissolution, when is it appropriate for a third party to intervene? David Burrows, NLJ columnist and solicitor advocate, considers this thorny issue in this week’s NLJ
NLJ's latest Charities Appeals Supplement has been published in this week’s issue
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