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Family Articles
Domestic violence abusers “using spyware to stalk victims” (31 December 2014)
Research has shown that domestic violence abusers are downloading spyware apps for as little as £30 each, which enable them to stalk their partners and victims – including listening into phone calls made from a mobile phone. Read more...
Campaigner who won landmark “right-to-die” clarification dies (30 December 2014)
Right-to-die campaigner Debbie Purdy has died after refusing food at the hospice caring for her. Read more...
High Court rules father was wrongly barred from home after “unproven allegations” of domestic violence (17 December 2014)
A judge has branded “Kafka-esque” the family court’s treatment of a man issued with a court order which prevented him from seeing his children without any prior notice. Read more...
Domestic violence victims “lack support” as a result of Legal Aid cutbacks (11 December 2014)
A new report claims that support services in the criminal justice system for victims of domestic violence and rape have suffered as a result of cuts. Read more...
Man impaled on railings outside Marylebone flat identified as business tycoon at centre of divorce battle (11 December 2014)
A man who fell to his death from a flat in Marylebone, central London on Monday (08/12/14) has been identified as 52-year-old Scot Young, a business tycoon who had been at the centre of a bitter divorce battle. Read more...
20 years in jail for “gigolo” who killed fiancée in Paris hotel room (8 December 2014)
A court in Paris has jailed a British man who killed his fiancée in a hotel room after starting an affair with another woman. Read more...
Appeal Court backs ex-wife who gave up career for high-flyer husband (4 December 2014)
The Appeal Court has overturned a High Court judgment against a divorcee seeking more of her ex-husband’s fortune – meaning she will now be able to continue her case to win more of an estimated £11 million fortune. Read more...
Spurned lover denies murdering ex he stabbed to death in the street (4 December 2014)
A court has heard how a nurse was repeatedly stabbed by her former lover, who stalked her after she ended their relationship. Read more...
Parental leave sharing comes into force (1 December 2014)
The government’s plans to allow parents to share parental leave come into force today (01/12/14) – meaning that parents whose child is born after 5 April 2015 will have the option to share maternity and paternity leave. Read more...
Wife awarded £337m divorce settlement may fight on for more (1 December 2014)
The High Court has awarded the American wife of a UK financier a £337 million divorce settlement. Read more...
Specialist London paediatric clinic sees FGM victim just three years’ old (28 November 2014)
A specialist clinic dealing with cases of female genital mutilation (FGM) has seen its youngest case of FGM in London, involving a three-year-old girl. Read more...
Legal Aid reforms lead to unexpected reduction in mediation referrals in divorce cases (28 November 2014)
A new report by the National Audit Office (NAO) has said that, although the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) is on target to slash £300 million a year from the Legal Aid budget, it remains “out of touch” with the impact of the cuts, especially on the family court. Read more...
Ex-wife of convicted fraudster heads to Supreme Court to win fairer divorce settlement (27 November 2014)
A convicted fraudster jailed for 10 years in 2010 is facing a court battle with his ex-wife, who claims he hid the couple’s financial assets from the family court during their divorce hearing in 2004. Read more...
Businesses encourage to sign up to domestic violence awareness campaign (24 November 2014)
Public Health England (PHE) is offering guidance to employers on recognising the signs of domestic abuse among employees. Read more...
Retired detective handed harassment order by Family Court (24 November 2014)
A former detective who worked for Scotland Yard’s paedophile unit has been issued with a harassment order after he threatened his former girlfriend. Read more...
Families of elderly NHS patients who “bed block” threatened with court action and £50,000 costs (21 November 2014)
Hospital managers at Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospital Trust are threatening families who refuse to take responsibility for elderly relatives with court action. Read more...
Legal Aid cuts “not thought through”, as number of unrepresented litigants rises sharply (20 November 2014)
The impact of Legal Aid cuts were not “thought through” early enough by the government, according to the National Audit Office (NAO). Read more...
Mother says probation officers should have revealed daughter’s partner was a convicted killer (17 November 2014)
A mother whose daughter was killed by her partner – whom she did not know was a convicted murderer – says that probation officers should have warned her daughter about her partner’s background. Read more...
Divorcing couple spend one-third of £2.9m wealth on divorce costs (14 November 2014)
A divorcing couple in dispute over their joint assets has spent more than £900,000 in legal fees to resolve their disagreements over assets worth £2.9 million. Read more...
Neighbours’ tip-offs helping tackle domestic violence, says Peabody (11 November 2014)
Peabody housing association says that it has seen an 825% rise in the number of domestic violence cases reported on its housing estates, since introducing a campaign to prevent persecution six years ago. Read more...
Decision expected on case where vulnerable couple are denied Legal Aid to fight Local Authority council adoption proceedings (11 November 2014)
The President of the Family Division Sir James Munby is to rule in a case in which parents who have learning disabilities and are on a low income were denied Legal Aid to fight a case against Swindon Borough Council, which is putting their child up for adoption. Read more...
Professor who developed the Pill predicts brave new world of voluntary sterilisation and IVF will render sex “just for fun” (10 November 2014)
The scientist who invented the Pill has suggested that in the future more people will turn to IVF to have children – and sex will be demoted to being “just for fun”. Read more...
DfE guidelines stating sex for 13-year-olds is “normal” sparks backlash (10 November 2014)
New guidelines on sexual activity among schoolchildren from the Department for Education (DfE) have sparked a backlash, after Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg and the Education Secretary Nicky Morgan appeared to back penetrative sex for 13-year-olds. Read more...
Lords debating gay marriage hear the one about the Baroness and the Hollywood actor (hypothetically) (3 November 2014)
A debate on gay marriage in the House of Lords has been told that a gay man could only sue his husband for adultery if his partner had sex with a woman. Read more...
Eight years for woman who attacked partner in one of worst domestic violence cases police have seen (3 November 2014)
A court has jailed a woman for eight years, after an attack on her partner which police said was one of the worst cases of domestic violence they had seen. Read more...
Software tycoon in property battle with ex-wife (30 October 2014)
A software tycoon has told a divorce court that his former wife is a “psychopath” – while she has alleged he is “cruel, spiteful and wicked”. Read more...
Divorce judge rules wife an “unreliable witness” as couple battle over assets (29 October 2014)
A divorce court has been told that there is no evidence that a director of a wildlife trust set up to save the Chinese tiger used the charity’s income to fund a lavish personal lifestyle. Read more...
Couple fight over London property following Islamic divorce in Saudi Arabia (27 October 2014)
A Saudi sheikh is battling his ex-wife over a £20 million penthouse apartment in London, which she says she needs as a home, having moved to the capital after the collapse of her marriage. Read more...
More protection needed for wills and probate clients, says Ombudsman (23 October 2014)
The Legal Ombudsman is calling for more consumer protection for clients of wills and probate services. Read more...
Malaysian couple’s multi-million pound divorce “can be heard in UK” says High Court (20 October 2014)
Judges sitting in the Family Division of the High Court have ruled that the divorce of a Malaysian couple can be heard in London. Read more...
Announcement about more support for litigants in person expected before Christmas (20 October 2014)
Justice Minister Simon Hughes has said the government is expected to make an announcement in the near future about addressing issues raised as a result of an increasing number of litigants in person in the civil court. Read more...
High Court grants Judicial Review of Legal Aid for inquests (17 October 2014)
The High Court has granted permission for a judicial review of Legal Aid for inquests. Read more...
UK adds another £330,000 funding to Britain’s campaign against FGM (13 October 2014)
The UK government has pledged a further £330,000 to help eradicate female genital mutilation (FGM) in Britain. Read more...
QC says men must do more to prevent FGM (10 October 2014)
A leading human rights barrister is calling on men to help prevent the practise of female genital mutilation (FGM). Read more...
Five-year sentence for man who threatened to kill partner in domestic violence attack (6 October 2014)
A man who launched a vicious attack on his female partner has been jailed for five years for Section 18 wounding. Read more...
Call for divorce petitions to be centralised, after Burnley court clerk unravels divorce scam (3 October 2014)
A total of 180 “quickie” divorces taken out by Italian couples in the English court have been declared void. after widespread fraud was discovered by a court clerk in Burnley, Lancashire. Read more...
Families of women murdered by abusive partners call for change in stalking laws (2 October 2014)
The families of two women murdered by ex-partners who stalked them have called for stalkers to sign a register similar to the Sex Offenders’ Register. Read more...
“Pet-nup” launched for divorcing couples at loggerheads over family dog (30 September 2014)
An animal charity has drawn up a pre-nup agreement for couples who may end up fighting over the family pet if they separate. Read more...
FCO warns against “re-abducting” children from a parent overseas (29 September 2014)
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is warning agencies or individuals tracking down children who have been abducted and taken overseas by family not to “re-abduct” them in order to return them to the parent who has custody. Read more...
Half of new child abduction cases in Ireland in 2013 “involved children taken to or from UK” (29 September 2014)
The Department of Justice in Ireland has said it dealt with 109 new cases of child abduction in 2013 – with around half of the cases dealt with last year relating to abduction to or from the United Kingdom. Read more...
12-month jail term for father who cut off ex-partner’s hair in domestic violence attack (23 September 2014)
A father who refused to accept the relationship with his partner was over has been jailed after he dragged her from bed and cut off all her hair. Read more...
Labour calls for domestic violence classes in schools – as Oxbridge colleges run “consensual sex” workshops for students (22 September 2014)
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is calling on schools to give compulsory lessons to children about preventing domestic violence against women. Read more...
Rise in stalking prosecutions may help protect domestic violence victims (18 September 2014)
The first year of new stalking legislation has resulted in 743 cases of stalking being brought to court under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, according to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). Read more...
Increase in number of domestic abuse cases involving family members (10 September 2014)
Figures from the Metropolitan Police have suggested that adult children living at home because of the shortage of affordable homes may be fuelling an increase in domestic abuse cases. Read more...
Police to crack down on domestic violence by investigating worst abusers for other criminal activity (9 September 2014)
A top female officer at Scotland Yard has said that domestic violence incidents are currently at their worst level for 30 years. Read more...
Litigants in person “slow down divorce proceedings” (5 September 2014)
Divorce lawyers are reporting that divorces are taking on average three weeks longer as a result of changes to Legal Aid for family cases. Read more...
Funding threat to domestic violence refuges for women (3 September 2014)
A lack of Local Authority funding means many women’s refuges are in danger of closing down, The Guardian reports. Read more...
Life for “controlling” murderer who stabbed his ex-partner to death (27 August 2014)
A 26-year-old man who stabbed his former girlfriend to death has been jailed for life at Manchester Crown Court. Read more...
Former aide says Labour should offer more support to couples who don’t divorce (21 August 2014)
A former aide to Labour leader Ed Miliband has called for Labour to do more to support couples who stay together rather than separate or divorce. Read more...
Government considers new crime of “domestic abuse” (21 August 2014)
The government is considering creating a new domestic abuse law to protect family members and partners against domestic abuse, as this is not covered by current domestic violence laws. Read more...
Teach children about FGM says NSPCC, as cases in UK rise (18 August 2014)
The Head of Child Protection at the NSPCC has said five-year-olds should be taught about female genital mutilation (FGM) to help put an end to the practice. Read more...
British family reunited after lawyer tracks down abducted children in Afghanistan (15 August 2014)
A family lawyer from the US and local police in Afghanistan have helped reunite a British mother with her three sons, after they were abducted by their father and left with relatives in Afghanistan 17 months ago. Read more...
Jail sentence for jealous lover who attacked ex with a claw hammer (14 August 2014)
A court has jailed a man who attacked his former partner with a claw hammer after she started a relationship with another man. Read more...
Ex-pats in UAE “may be able to have family hearings under UK law” (11 August 2014)
A law firm in Dubai has said that ex-pats living in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) would not necessarily be subject to Sharia law if they divorce, as Islamic law courts allow ex-pats to apply the law of their own countries under certain circumstances. Read more...
Calls for UAE to recognise domestic violence as a crime – as Foreign Office warns Britons they could face divorce under Islamic Law (6 August 2014)
A mother from east London is to challenge Sharia law, after a court in Dubai awarded custody of her son Louis to her former husband. Read more...
Designer baby fears as NHS sperm bank opens for business (4 August 2014)
An NHS sperm bank is to launch in October to enable single women and lesbian couples become mothers. Read more...
One-third of adults would not take elderly parent needing full-time care into their home (4 August 2014)
A new report has revealed that around one-third of those questioned would not allow an elderly relative to live with them and their family if they needed full-time care. Read more...
Researchers investigate link between Down’s syndrome and Alzheimer’s (31 July 2014)
Researchers at Birkbeck College in London are to investigate a link between Down’s Syndrome and Alzheimer’s disease. Read more...
Government “committed” to allowing children their say in care proceedings (28 July 2014)
Minister of State for Justice and Civil Liberties Simon Hughes MP has said that the government is committed to making sure children have more of a say in care proceedings – and that local authorities, the Children and Court Advisory and Support Services (Cafcass) and the head of the Family Division of the court, Sir James Munby, would be working together to make sure “the wishes and feelings” of children in family hearings were listened to. Read more...
UK government pledge to end FGM and forced marriage “within a generation” (23 July 2014)
Prime Minister David Cameron has pledged to bring an end to female genital mutilation (FGM), forced marriage and child marriage within a generation. Read more...
Ex-wife fined for assaults on former husband (21 July 2014)
A woman who attacked her husband at the breakfast table after he allegedly announced he wanted a divorce left him needing 13 stitches, a court has heard. Read more...
Spike in domestic violence cases in South Yorkshire (15 July 2014)
South Yorkshire Police have revealed that a record number of domestic violence incidents were reported to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) in the year 2013-2014. Read more...
Britain to end child and forced marriages, says MP (11 July 2014)
Conservative MP Justine Greening has used a trip to Zambia to announce that Britain is to lead the way in ending child marriage across the globe. Read more...
Assisted dying judgment may lead to “right to die” compromise (26 June 2014)
Judges at the Supreme Court have paved the way for a possible review of current law banning assisted dying. Read more...
Court told pregnant teenager was murdered by “abusive” ex-boyfriend (24 June 2014)
Oxford Crown Court has heard how a “violent” and “controlling” man killed his pregnant ex-girlfriend just hours after she told him she was expecting his child. Read more...
Philanthropist heading for Britain’s biggest divorce payout (20 June 2014)
A leading hedge fund boss and his wife are locked in battle over what could become the UK’s largest ever divorce settlement. Read more...
Tragedy of couple jailed for two years, after allowing their nine children to live in squalor (18 June 2014)
An unemployed couple who left their five children living in lice-infested squalor have been jailed by a court in Gloucester. Read more...
New law criminalises forced marriage from today (16 June 2014)
A new law which makes forced marriage a criminal offence in the UK takes effect from today (16/06/14). Read more...
Care criteria should 'reflect needs of autistic people' (16 June 2014)
The National Autistic Society (NAS) has said that adults with autism spectrum disorders face a “devastating” scale of neglect and abuse – and many people with autism say they stay at home to avoid abuse or harassment from the public. Read more...
Grandparents tell of legal battle to prevent granddaughter being taken into care (12 June 2014)
The parents of a young mother with a mental health condition have spoken of their fight with Essex County Council to prevent their baby granddaughter being taken into care. Read more...
Police on alert for domestic violence spike, as World Cup gets underway (11 June 2014)
Police on alert for domestic violence spike, as World Cup gets underway Read more...
Welfare cuts forcing more families into food poverty, say charities (10 June 2014)
A report by three charities has blamed the government’s welfare reforms for an increase in the number of families using food banks. Read more...
Another baby taken into care just hours after birth (9 June 2014)
A mother with a mental health condition has had her baby taken away hours after the birth, after a judge ruled that social workers did not have to tell her what was going to happen. Read more...
Tax-free childcare extended to children aged up to 12 (5 June 2014)
The Queen’s Speech has included plans to extend the government’s tax-free childcare limit of £2,000 to children up to the age of 12. Read more...
Pakistani woman stoned to death by family, after marrying without permission (28 May 2014)
A 25-year-old woman has been stoned to death by her own family outside a courtroom in Pakistan’s capital Lahore, after marrying a man she loved without first obtaining her family’s consent. Read more...
“Jealous” domestic abuser jailed for life for murder of former partner (23 May 2014)
The family of a woman stabbed to death by her jealous former boyfriend in front of their two-year-old daughter has called for her killer to spend the rest of his life in jail. Read more...
LSC decision not to fund expert witness report “unlawful” (22 May 2014)
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the Legal Aid Agency (LAA) acted unlawfully when it refused to fund the full cost of an expert witness report for a child, which had been ordered by the Family Division of the Court. Read more...
Top judge vows to prosecute domestic violence perpetrators (20 May 2014)
Leading judge Simon Bourne-Arton QC has said that those who commit domestic violence offences will be prosecuted, even if the victims fail to co-operate with police inquiries and withdraw their complaints. Read more...
Call for passport system to be updated, as 600,000 parents are stopped at UK ports because child has different family name (19 May 2014)
The Daily Mail reports that as many as 600,000 parents are being stopped and questioned at the UK’s airports and ports – as well as international railway stations such as Eurostar – because the passport system does not recognise that children and parents may have different surnames. Read more...
Family Court rules mother must say final farewell to toddler taken into care (14 May 2014)
A mother judged to have significant intellectual impairment has been told by the Family Court to say goodbye to her young son forever. Read more...
Doctor jailed for CV fraud (12 May 2014)
Newcastle Crown Court has jailed a fraudster who made 1,000 applications to the NHS to become a doctor, using a bogus CV. Read more...
Family rows may increase risk of death in middle age (12 May 2014)
Danish researchers at the University of Copenhagen say that regular rows with family and friends could lead to an early grave. Read more...
ONS figures show fall in number of stepfamilies (9 May 2014)
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that between 2001 and 2011, the number of stepfamilies in the UK fell by 14%. Read more...
“Judge-free divorces” will not undermine family justice (8 May 2014)
The President of the Family Division of the courts, Sir James Munby, has said that cuts to Legal Aid will not damage family justice. Read more...
Court of Protection gags 94-year-old from speaking to the press about her fight to be cared for at home (6 May 2014)
A 94-year-old spinster locked in a legal battle with Redbridge Council over who should care for her has been “gagged” by the Court of Protection under a special declaration, to prevent her from speaking out about her case to journalists. Read more...
President of Family Division calls for “no fault” divorces and equal rights for cohabitees (1 May 2014)
President of the High Court Family Division, Sir James Munby, is calling for a radical overhaul of divorce law, with “no fault” divorces for all. Read more...
Government to block legal loophole allowing download of child abuse materials (28 April 2014)
The government has announced that it will close a loophole in the laws governing child abuse, which would in effect allow paedophiles who download child abuse manuals to be treated in the same way terrorists are. Read more...
More support needed for West Devon families hit by welfare reforms, says CAB (24 April 2014)
The Citizen’s Advice Bureau (CAB) in West Devon is calling for more government support to help low-income families affected by benefit changes. Read more...
LibDem Justice Minister calls for British families to care for elderly relatives (23 April 2014)
Liberal Democrat Justice Minister Simon Hughes has said that families in the UK should follow the example of many migrant families from Africa and Asia and take greater responsibility for caring for elderly relatives, instead of relying on care homes. Read more...
UN rapporteur accused of focusing on UK immigration policy, rather than violence against women (22 April 2014)
United Nations (UN) Inspector Rashida Manjoo has told MPs that Britain has a “boys’ club sexist culture” ? and a worse sexism culture than any other country. Read more...
Retired colonel stabs wife to death (22 April 2014)
A retired army officer has appeared in court charged with the murder of his wife, who was stabbed in the chest in a domestic incident on Friday (18/04/14). Read more...
Italian woman forced to undergo C-section vows to fight for her daughter (17 April 2014)
A mother whose daughter was taken from her after a forced Caesarean section has said she loves her daughter and hopes to see her again one day. Read more...
Two-thirds of new mums have faced criticism over their baby crying in public (15 April 2014)
A survey of new mothers commissioned by Colief Infant Drops has found that one in 20 has been reproached by members of the public over their baby crying – but 90% of those questioned have never been offered any help by members of the public when their baby cries. Read more...
Legal Aid cuts mean more litigants in person in family courts, says Lord Chief Justice (9 April 2014)
The Lord Chief Justice Sir John Thomas has told a group of MPs that cuts to Legal Aid budgets have resulted in more people in the Family Court representing themselves in court rather than hiring a solicitor and barrister. Read more...
Jail for mum and her partner, after baby dies from broken spine (7 April 2014)
A man who killed his partner’s young son by shaking him until his back broke has been jailed for eight years. Read more...
Law Society defends guidance on Islamic wills (1 April 2014)
The president of the Law Society has defended its move to issue guidelines to its members on wills made under Islamic law. Read more...
Multi-millionaire who offered ex-wife £83 settles divorce out of court (31 March 2014)
Multi-millionaire Christopher Nightingale has agreed to pay his ex-wife a substantial divorce settlement after he initially offered her just £83. Read more...
UK’s first same sex marriages set for Saturday (28 March 2014)
The first same sex marriages are due to take place this Saturday (29/03/14) as marriage between same sex couples becomes legal. Read more...
Teenager deported back to Mauritius will be separated from her family (25 March 2014)
An 18-year-old girl due to be deported back to Mauritius on Tuesday (25/03/14) will be separated from her mother and sister once she is returned to her home country. Read more...
Law Society issues guidelines on Sharia law to solicitors (25 March 2014)
The Law Society has drawn up a guide for solicitors on succession rules under Sharia law to allow Muslim families living in the UK to draft legal documents in line with Islamic laws. Read more...
Family judge calls for greater transparency on court judgements (24 March 2014)
Children separated from their parents by court rulings must be able to find out the reasons behind the decision when they become adults according to new recommendations made by the most senior family judge. Read more...
Call for prenup agreements to be made legal (21 March 2014)
The Law Commission has recommended that prenuptial agreements should be made legally binding in a divorce but only when the requirements of any children of the marriage and the needs of the divorcing couple have been met. Read more...
London Mayor calls for FGM to be reported as a crime (19 March 2014)
London Mayor Boris Johnson has said that reporting victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) to the police must become law. Read more...
“Hard-pressed” working parents get £2,000 childcare tax break (18 March 2014)
The government has announced a £2,000 tax break for working parents earning up to £300,000 annually. Read more...
Family Court rules absentee father is “not really rich” on £100,000 salary (18 March 2014)
A judge has ruled that a banker with an £100,000 salary is “not really rich” in a family court case involving an absentee father. Read more...
Home secretary urges government to tackle domestic violence (17 March 2014)
According to crime statistics, domestic violence convictions fell significantly in the West Midlands last year as leading politicians called for a greater focus on figures on such crimes in order to get a greater number of abusive partners behind bars. Read more...
Founder of online fashion retailer ASOS could be heading for one of the UK’s most costly divorce cases after separating from his wife. (17 March 2014)
The multimillionaire founder of online fashion retailer ASOS could be heading for one of the UK’s most costly divorce cases after separating from his wife. Read more...
New childcare tax breaks for families expected in the Budget (17 March 2014)
Sky News reports that the government is to introduce new tax breaks for childcare in the Budget. Read more...
Ruling on use of deceased man’s sperm to conceive could affect current law (10 March 2014)
A woman whose husband froze his sperm before he died of cancer has won the right to create an embryo using the sperm – despite the fact her husband had not given the necessary consents before his death. Read more...
Support for vulnerable families in Worcestershire – as local MP calls for free childcare for working parents (10 March 2014)
Providers of support for vulnerable families in Worcestershire have been praised by the director of the national Troubled Families programme, which helps families with problems across the UK. Read more...
Clare’s Law establishes right to know if a partner has a history of domestic violence (10 March 2014)
From Saturday (08/03/14), women in England and Wales have been given the right to ask police whether their partner has a history of domestic violence. Read more...
Britain’s childcare system “not fit for purpose”, as childcare costs soar (5 March 2014)
The Family and Childcare Trust’s annual report has revealed that childcare now costs families as much as a mortgage – and for some families, more than their mortgage. Read more...
Law Commission’s Draft Bill on Nuptial Agreements aims to help divorcing couples agree on finances (3 March 2014)
In January 2011, the Law Commission launched a consultation into proposals to regulate pre-nuptial agreements between couples. Last Wednesday (26/02/14), the Law Commission published its new report Matrimonial Property Needs and Agreements. Read more...
Divorcee warns wealthy women about dangers of pre-nups (3 March 2014)
The daughter of one of the UK’s richest men has warned that a judge’s ruling in her divorce case should act as a disincentive for wealthy women to marry. Read more...
Prenuptial agreement quashed by judge (28 February 2014)
What should have been a simple divorce settlement has turned instead into an expensive lesson for a City solicitor. Read more...
Law Commission proposes legally binding pre-nups (28 February 2014)
Family solicitors have welcomed the news that pre-nuptials are set to become legally binding following recommendations by the Law Commissions that aim to reduce the amount of costly divorce battles and give splitting couples piece of mind. Read more...
More than 10,000 people at high risk of domestic violence (28 February 2014)
Figures obtained by The Guardian show that more than 10,000 women and children may be at high risk of domestic violence. Read more...
Newspaper fined £750 after Section 39 breach identified a minor (26 February 2014)
Weekly newspaper the North Devon Journal has been fined after it identified a minor in a story, in breach of a discretionary Section 39 order. Read more...
Judge allows child contact for father whose “sexting” error offended ex (24 February 2014)
A judge sitting at the High Court in Leeds has ruled that a father must have contact with his young son – despite the fact he accidentally sent a sexually explicit image of himself by text to his ex-partner, which he had intended to send to another woman. Read more...
Fall in divorce rate for newlyweds (24 February 2014)
Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that the divorce rate for couples in the early years of marriage is at its lowest since the 1970s. Read more...
Court of Appeal rejects claims that government benefit cap breaches human rights (21 February 2014)
Judges at the Court of Appeal have ruled that the government’s cuts to welfare are legal. Read more...
Judge rules against wife's appeal for higher divorce settlement (21 February 2014)
A former tycoon and multi-millionaire has defeated his ex wife^s appeal for a higher sum from their divorce settlement despite admitting to lying to the court and the judge about his personal circumstances. Read more...
Senior judge warns that marriage is under threat (20 February 2014)
A leading judge has warned that the traditional “nuclear” family is in danger of being “wiped out”. Read more...
“Permissive” parent loses custody of children (18 February 2014)
A mother that “failed” her children by letting them play computer games and other electronic devices without limits has lost her custody battle after a High Court judge ruled that her “permissive” parenting style had negatively affected them. Read more...
London mother loses custody of son under Sharia Law in Dubai (17 February 2014)
A mother from London is launching an appeal to Dubai’s ruler, after being handed a one-month suspended jail sentence for kidnapping her own son by a court in Dubai last week. Read more...
Families risking family home to pay school fees (17 February 2014)
Parents desperate to educate their children privately are allowing independent schools take a charge on their homes to make sure they can afford to pay school fees. Read more...
Lord Somerset pleads guilty to domestic violence charges (11 February 2014)
A member of an elite aristocratic family has been jailed for two years and given a restraining order after he subjected his wife to a “substantial period of domestic violence” while on frequent drink and drug binges. Read more...
Barristers protect at Legal Aid cuts (10 February 2014)
Barristers are warning that Ministry of Justice cuts in the Legal Aid budget could have implications for the justice system overall. Read more...
Universal Credit cost mounts up, with families not yet on the system (7 February 2014)
New figures revealed as the result of a Parliamentary question show that the cost of the coalition government’s flagship Universal Credit project is spiralling, with the cost of each benefit claimant being moved over to the new system being estimated at £225,000. Read more...
Teen admits X-Box porn caused him to rape his eight-year-old sister (6 February 2014)
Blackburn Magistrates’ Court has heard how a 13-year-old boy raped his eight-year-old sister after watching porn on his X-Box console. Read more...
Couples urged to plan beyond divorce proceedings (31 January 2014)
Experts have warned couples going through divorce proceedings that they should seek expert help if they are in a state of fear or are uncertain about aspects of day-to-day life following divorce proceedings. Read more...
Police start fighting domestic abuse (30 January 2014)
Although there is no reliable data on the prevalence of domestic crime in the UK we do know that it is a huge problem. One in three women will be the subject of domestic violence at some point during their adult lives. Read more...
Smoking in a car with children present may become a criminal offence (30 January 2014)
The Lords has passed an Amendment to the Children and Families Bill which would introduce a ban on smoking in cars where children are passengers. Read more...
Stay-at-home husband pleads for “international marriage” divorce proceedings to be heard in London (30 January 2014)
A successful female investment banker is contesting a multimillion pound settlement in a divorce case involving her stay-at-home husband, after the couple’s 15-year marriage collapsed following a row on holiday. Read more...
£6m divorce payout for ex-wife asked to remain as “housekeeper” to husband’s new partner (30 January 2014)
A divorcee has been awarded £6 million in the High Court after her former husband installed his new partner and her 12-year-old daughter in their home – and asked his former wife to remain living with them as “some sort of housekeeper”. Read more...
Make a pre-nuptial agreement to prevent a bitter divorce (29 January 2014)
The New Year is the busiest time of year for marriage proposals, with even more marriage proposals than Valentine’s Day. However, it is not all romance; every January sees a rise in new divorce cases after the stress of Christmas sends couples their separate ways after months or years of disagreements and arguments. Read more...
Proposed rise in court fees condemned (28 January 2014)
An internal government review has criticised Ministry of Justice (MoJ) plans to increase court fees in order to raise almost £200 million. Read more...
Rise of the single household in Britain, as number of married couples declines (24 January 2014)
Figures gathered in 2011 for the census and published on Wednesday (22/01/14) have shown that marriage in the UK is declining fast, with just 4 million households in Britain now comprising a husband and wife and children. Read more...
Secrecy surrounding Family Court to end (17 January 2014)
The Family Courts are to be opened up to public scrutiny, with Family Courts and Court of Protection judgments being made public for the first time. Read more...
Government focuses on mediation services for divorce matters as it plans legal aid cuts (17 January 2014)
The government is aiming to reduce stressful divorce battles and ensure that couples separate “in the least damaging way” by promoting the use of mediation services in England and Wales. Read more...
MoD employee fined for term-time family holiday booked before education regulations amendment (16 January 2014)
Parents who took their children out of school during term-time have been fined £630 plus costs, despite the fact they booked the holiday before the law was changed. Read more...
Marketisation of marriage may be leading couples along the path to divorce (14 January 2014)
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Williams has said the greatest threat to the institution of marriage is the marketing of marriage. Read more...
Divorcee says divorce lawyers should have recommended judicial separation (13 January 2014)
A woman has tried to sue her divorce solicitor because she alleges she was not advised that divorce would end her marriage. Read more...
Concerns more children will be taken into Local Authority care, as benefit cuts deepen (10 January 2014)
The extent to which cuts to welfare benefits could take its toll on vulnerable families has been revealed in new figures from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), which shows that before benefit cuts were introduced last year, 33,000 families were receiving more than £26,000 a year in welfare payments. Read more...