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22 October 2021 / Nazia Rashid
Issue: 7953 / Categories: Features , Family
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I now pronounce you…

61708
Nazia Rashid considers whether reinstating breach of promise to marry could fill a gap in the law

Could reinstating the right to sue for breach of promise to marry assist couples in non-qualifying ceremony marriages?


Do we need to re-look at the abolished right to sue for breach of promise to marry?

I recently came across a tweet which referred to reforming family law by re-introducing ‘breach of promise’ as a remedy in ‘non qualifying ceremony’ cases, on protection for parties in religious marriages promised a legally binding ceremony gone unfulfilled. (Family Law Reform Now: Twitter 09/09/21 15:45.)

My legal mind, and I am sure for many family lawyers, headed straight to the case of Akhter v Khan [2018] EWFC 54. However, at the same time, I thought of friends who have previously been in committed relationships which have broken down, and at least one party felt he/she still had a choice as to whether to proceed with the civil marriage or not regardless of what might have taken place following

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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

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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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