Until recently, convictions made in a foreign court couldn’t be used in evidence in a case that was being heard in the UK, but a recent decision made by the Court of Appeal has decided that in cases designed to protect children and which involve an analysis of welfare, rules that previously excluded them should […]
Category: Family Law
Mediation Voucher Scheme extended to support more families
A new government mediation voucher scheme has been extended to help separating parents resolve disputes without taking them through the courts and is set to help many more families deal with the difficult issues that separation and divorce can create. Earlier in 2021, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) launched the mediation voucher scheme, which offers […]
Final report received from family courts working group
The final report from the working group set up by the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, to look at the issues around medical experts in the family courts has now been published. Mr. Justice Williams was appointed to chair the working group, with representation from the legal profession, Royal Medical Colleges […]
The relocation of a child – when a parent moves abroad
When parents separate, it’s not uncommon for one of them to want to move away from the area where they resided with the other. In some cases, this may involve moving the child(ren) of the family to another country, which can naturally lead to issues. In a recent case, which involves a mother who […]
No Fault Divorce Bill receives Royal assent
When a marriage breaks down, the parties involved are often driven to blame each other for the breakdown of the relationship in order to achieve a divorce more quickly. It has also been assumed that blaming the other spouse may lead to a better financial settlement or a more favourable agreement over the children. […]
Contact during the coronavirus pandemic
We are certainly going through difficult times at the moment, and I hope that you are well, and that the current coronavirus situation isn’t causing you too much stress. As a family lawyer, I have been asked about how the current rules about social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic might affect any current arrangements that […]
Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill reintroduced
After the original Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill was shelved during the proroguing of parliament and general election of 2019, it was reintroduced into parliament on 7 January 2020. The Bill, which has been designed to put an end to the ‘blame culture’ that surrounds divorce, was one of several to be shelved at the […]
Children’s cases – will the Judge take my criminal record into account?
Children’s cases need special treatment – so if you are involved in a case concerning children, yes, the court will need to know about any criminal records you may have, or previous involvement with the police. However, whether the judge believes it to be relevant to the case will depend on what the convictions were for, […]
Why Gillbanks Family Law are experts in divorce and separation advice
Gillbanks Family Law have given us a small insight into the expert advice and guidance they provide for those going through the inevitably complex and sensitive process of divorce or separation “When a relationship breaks down one party might be ready to move on but the other party may still be struggling to come […]
Nomination for Family Law Awards
I was delighted to find out this week that I have been nominated for the award of ‘Family Law Chartered Legal Executive’ awarded by the judges for the Family Law Awards 2019. The Family Law Awards were created to appreciate and recognise the importance of the work we do as family lawyers, and also […]