Latest Family Law News

Committee calls for UK to ratify Convention, as promised

In June 2012 the UK signed the Council of Europe’s Istanbul Convention which aims to protect women from violence. The government undertook to ratify the Convention as soon as forced…

Court of appeal tells ex-wife to “get a job”

A recent case in the Court of Appeal varying spousal maintenance some years after the original divorce settlement in 2008 appears to have set a precedent for lower family courts.…

Couple challenge ban on heterosexual civil partnerships

A couple have been granted permission by the High Court to pursue an application for judicial review of the ban on heterosexual couples forming a civil partnership. The couple, Rebecca…

New Data shows worrying increase of children in need

Data collected by the Department of Education has shown a 5% increase of children in need. On 31 March 2013 378,000 were classified as being in need, and by 31…

Give grandparents more advice as to how to see their grandchildren

The Justice Minister, Simon Hughes, has answered a written parliamentary question which shows that every day 7 grandparents in the UK seek a court order allowing them to see their…

Children’s Society calls for changes to protect 16 and 17 year old victims

New analysis from The Children’s Society has shown that teenagers aged 16 and 17 are more likely to be abuse or neglected than any other age group, yet lack any…

Getting married? Have you thought about drawing up a ‘pet-nup’?

Figures show that 1 in 4 divorces involve a dispute about what is to be done with the beloved family pet. With this in mind, the Law Society has suggested…

Family Drug and Alcohol Court extended nationwide

It was announced this week that The Department for Education has provided £2.5m to extend The Family Drug and Alcohol Court (FDAC) for one year. The FDAC helps families who…

DNA testing: resolving Children’s cases more easily

Justice Minister Simon Hughes has announced that later in the year family law court judges will have the power to order DNA tests to determine a child’s parentage in any…

Citizen’s Advice Bureau urges Ministry of Justice to reconsider legal aid reforms

Following the news earlier this month that the charity Rights of Women lodged an appeal against reforms which restricted access to legal aid for victims of domestic abuse, this week…

Proposal to increase divorce fee dropped

The government has scrapped its proposal to raise the amount payable to file a divorce petition from £410 to £750 following a consultation. The proposal was highly criticised by respondents…

Baroness Deech calls for reform of divorce law

In a series of lectures and speeches, Baroness Deech has called for a reform of current divorce law, stating controversially that “the message [sent by the current law] is that…

High Court rejects challenge of ‘draconian’ regulation which restricts legal aid for domestic abuse victims

The High Court has rejected a challenge of the legality of regulation 33, brought in to reduce the number of family law cases which fall within the scope of legal…

Relationship counselling to be offered to new parents

The Work and Pensions Secretary, The Rt Hon Iain Duncan Smith MP, has said that next year the government will announce guidance which will allow health visitors to give free…

Sham marriages: The Home Office’s new powers

New powers were recently announced by Immigration and Security Minister, James Brokenshire, which will reform the Immigration Act and extend the notice period in England and Wales for marriages and…

Committee calls for UK to ratify Convention, as promised

Court of appeal tells ex-wife to “get a job”

Couple challenge ban on heterosexual civil partnerships

New Data shows worrying increase of children in need

Give grandparents more advice as to how to see their grandchildren

Children’s Society calls for changes to protect 16 and 17 year old victims

Getting married? Have you thought about drawing up a ‘pet-nup’?

Family Drug and Alcohol Court extended nationwide

DNA testing: resolving Children’s cases more easily

Citizen’s Advice Bureau urges Ministry of Justice to reconsider legal aid reforms

Proposal to increase divorce fee dropped

Baroness Deech calls for reform of divorce law

High Court rejects challenge of ‘draconian’ regulation which restricts legal aid for domestic abuse victims

Relationship counselling to be offered to new parents

Sham marriages: The Home Office’s new powers

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