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The Cafcass crisis and Public law proceedings (5 July 2010)

 

In public law proceedings Family Court Advisors act as Children’s Guardians and have an important role within the proceedings. Upon the issuing of an application for a care or supervision order, which is usually made by the Local Authority, the Court will notify Cafcass, who is under a duty to allocate a Family Court Advisor to the case.

 

 

Private Law Proceedings and Cafcass (5 July 2010)

 

Delay in private law cases coming to a satisfactory conclusion goes against one of the main principles underpinning the law relating to children, this being that any delay is likely to prejudice the welfare of the child.

 

 

Enforcement of Ancillary Relief Orders (5 July 2010)

 

There are a variety of steps which can be taken to enforce a financial order which has not been fully complied with. However it should be noted that before any process is issued for the enforcement of an order governed by the Family Proceedings Rules 1991, for the payment of money to any person, an affidavit (sworn statement) must be filed with any application, verifying the amount due under the existing order and clearly showing how the amount due has been calculated.

 

 

Duncan Lewis Family Department to Provide a Family Mediation Service (28 June 2010)

 

Duncan Lewis’ Family Department is set to expand the provision of its service further, having been awarded a Family Mediation contract, due to start in October 2010.

 

 

Cohabitation Reduces Maintenance Payment (7 June 2010)

 

A man who was ordered to pay his wife £125,000 in maintenance has been successful in obtaining the agreement of the court to recalculate the payment after a private detective produced evidence that his ex-wife had set up house with another man, with whom she had a child.

 

 

Disclosure in Ancillary Relief Proceedings (7 June 2010)

 

It can be safely assumed that in most cases if Ancillary Relief Proceedings have been issued, one or both parties will suspect that the other has assets or property that they have failed to disclose in a deliberate attempt to defeat their claims.

 

 

International Child Abduction and the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (1980) (7 June 2010)

 

The issue of Child Abduction has become an ever more increasing worry for parents and children alike over recent times. As a result England and Wales have entered into numerous agreements to safeguard the rights of the non-abducting parent and the children.

 

 

Matrimonial property can be sold before divorce decree (10 May 2010)

 

In a recent case, a wife contested the court’s decision to grant an order, made under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TOLATA), for the sale of her and her husband’s matrimonial home before their divorce was due to be heard.

 

 

Everyone has the right to live without fear for their personal safety (10 May 2010)

 

The family courts have the power to offer specific remedies to protect those who have been subjected to physical violence, threats of violence and harassment. A non molestation order is an injunction that prohibits a person from using or threatening violence or harassing, pestering or intimidating another person. An occupation order can stop a person from coming to the family home or to exclude someone from a certain radius or even to allow a victim to return home.

On the 1st July 2007 the Domestic Violence Crime and Victims Act (DVCVA) came into force. The aim of this act is to provide even greater protection for victims of domestic violence.

 

 

Importance of fact Finding Hearings (10 May 2010)

 

The underlying principle in all applications for Contact and Residence is the welfare of the child. Accordingly, the Court is under a duty to consider any allegation of domestic violence (physical or verbal) made against a party within the proceedings or against the child. The duty is continuing and the risk of domestic violence is considered at all stages.

In order to consider allegations of domestic violence a Fact Finding Hearing maybe directed at any stage. Fact Finding Hearings are regulated by the Family Law Practice Directions and form an integral part of “trying a case” as opposed to being a separate exercise.

 

 

Child Care Team Expansion: Phuong Truong Joins Duncan Lewis (12 April 2010)

 

Phuong qualified as a solicitor in December 2000 and has specialised in all areas of family law since, including divorce, financial disputes, cohabitation, S14 TOLATA and all private law children matters, contact, residence.

 

 

It is for the Courts to Decide on Child Protection (12 April 2010)

 

A recent case concerning a baby boy who had suffered abuse has led the Supreme Court to clarify the role of the courts in child protection cases.

 

 

Matrimonial Property Can Be Sold Before Divorce Decree (12 April 2010)

 

In a recent case, a wife contested the court’s decision to grant an order, made under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act 1996 (TOLATA), for the sale of her and her husband’s matrimonial home before their divorce was due to be heard.

 

 

Refusal to Perform Civil Partnership Ceremony Deemed Unlawful (12 April 2010)

 

In a recent discrimination case, the Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal of a Christian registrar who refused to perform civil partnership ceremonies.

 

 

Cohabitation Reduces Maintenance Payment (12 April 2010)

 

A man who was ordered to pay his wife £125,000 in maintenance has been successful in obtaining the agreement of the court to recalculate the payment after a private detective produced evidence that his ex-wife had set up house with another man, with whom she had a child.

 

 

Divorce and the Downturn (1 July 2009)

 

The interpretation of the laws that apply when a child is to be adopted by prospective adopters who live in a foreign country remains unclear, following two recent rulings

 

 

Forced Marriages (1 February 2009)

 

A forced marriage is defined by the Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007 as marriage without the full and free consent of both parties

 

 

Fairness Means Couple Receive House (1 February 2009)

 

It is common for families to dispute agreements made relating to property

 

 

Animals and Divorce – New Ruling May Set Cat Among the Pigeons (1 February 2009)

 

Financial settlements on divorce normally involve making financial provision for any children but, in a recent case, the ex-wife of a wealthy man successfully argued that her love of horses was sufficiently important to her that substantial maintenance should be payable for their upkeep

 

 

Get An Advice Of Expert Over All Family Related Legal Issues (12 June 2007)

 

Do you need any legal advice? You need to contact an expert to get family legal advice. Whether the matter is related to divorce, finance or concerning your children, you need to contact your family lawyer who can sort out the matter for you.

 

 

Finding A Divorce Lawyer (10 June 2007)

 

Are you going through a divorce or wish to file for divorce? If so, then you should consider whether you need a good divorce lawyer who could provide you with valuable advice and assistance.

 

 

A Promise is a Promise (8 June 2007)

 

A woman who was widowed mere hours after getting married has been ordered by the Court of Appeal to honour a promise her husband had made to his ex-wife.

 

 

Family Gifts Part of Marital Assets (2 June 2007)

 

When couples divorce, their assets can be considered to arise from two sources. There are the assets created during the marriage, which are called ‘marital assets’, and those which are brought into the marriage by the spouses individually, termed ‘non-marital assets’.