The second most senior judge in England and Wales pondered the potential and pitfalls of AI in a recent speech at the Manchester Law Society. In a talk entitled AI – Transforming the work of lawyers and judges, Sir Geoffrey Vos insisted: “…there is nothing scary about AI. It is just a technological tool that has, by the way, been around for years. You use it happily every time you pick up your smart phone. What is scary, as always, is a very small number of ill-intentioned people. Such people might use AI inappropriately if we do not protect ourselves properly, and build in human controls. Bu ..read more

Close to half of children involved in family disputes are never asked how they feel about the situation, or what their wishes might be, according to new research. Researchers from Lancaster and Swansea Universities conducted a study for the Nuffield Family Justice Observatory, an independent organisation which researches family law, with a special focus on improving outcomes for children. The researchers tallied cases involving children made across England and Wales in 2019, each involving section 8 of the Children Act 1989. This concerns living arrangements for children following divorce or s ..read more

When you are going through relationship breakdown, getting the right lawyer to support your unique set of circumstances who understands your goals is crucial. Disputes between a separating couple are often the most challenging to resolve and can leave a family fractured far beyond the making of final orders. But there are a variety of ways to resolve family matters, with most people wanting to find a solution without resorting to court proceedings. Here, we discuss the various options for resolving family disputes and provide guidance on how to choose the best option for you. Do-it-yourself Di ..read more

Fundamentally, a non-molestation order protects the individual who made the application by preventing an abuser from using or threatening physical violence, intimidating, harassing, pestering, and communicating with their ex, or instructing, encouraging, or suggesting any other third party to do so. Although this type of order can also be made to protect children of the family, in most cases, it generally concerns an ex-spouse or partner. If there is no prohibitive part of the order preventing a parent from having any direct contact with their children, then they can do so. However, the practi ..read more

Wives are, on average, significantly worse off than men following divorce, according to recent findings. London-based Opinium Research polled a representative sample of 2,750 divorced men and women for Legal and General. When post-divorce income was compared, they found an average first year fall of 41 per cent for women compared to only 21 per cent for men. Pension savings also differ starkly according to the findings, with the women polled having saved an average of just £23,000 by the time they retired, compared to the much healthier average pension pot of £60,000 accumulated by the husband ..read more

Separating from your partner is a huge decision, but if you are feeling unhappy in your relationship, you may find yourself wistfully asking the question; is it time to make the break? There are no hard or fast rules when it comes to the right time to separate or divorce, but typically, individuals tend to make that decision when the negative aspects of the relationship outweigh the benefits. But is there ever a better time to separate or divorce? We look at the pros and cons of the question. Is it better to stay in an unhappy relationship? People may remain in an unhappy relationship for a va ..read more

You might do, if your financial needs have significantly changed as a result of your new relationship. Setting up home with a new partner can be a heady and exciting time, especially if you have just left a troubled marriage behind you. It’s all too understandable to want to focus on your happiness and bright future together, even if ongoing divorce proceedings demand you look backwards too, at least for a while. Financial needs A key part of any divorce is the settlement – dividing your money and property – and needs are a guiding principle in the allocation of these assets. The family courts ..read more

Following the high-profile case of Owens v Owens, where a husband refused to agree to the wife’s divorce petition, the law was changed to prevent the situation happening again. Therefore, citing things such as unreasonable behaviour, adultery, or desertion are no longer necessary to get divorced. All divorces are now made based on the fact that the “marriage has irretrievably broken down”. The legal implications of this means that a spouse will only be able to “dispute” a divorce in extremely limited circumstances, such as jurisdiction, the marriage already being legally ended or its validity ..read more

A divorced husband has been ordered to pay his ex-wife’s legal costs. He had failed to persuade a family court to let him extend the due date of a sum of money he owed her. The case concerned a consent order, or divorce settlement, agreed in December 2018. This required the husband to make a significant lump sum payment to his soon-to-be-former wife, with regular ‘periodical’ payments to be made in the meantime. The payment was to be sourced from a mortgage on the husband’s home. The lump sum became due in June 2023 but the husband did not make the payment. After some back-and-forth correspond ..read more

Leading Northumberland newspaper The Hexham Courant has covered the recent round of promotions at Major Family Law. Click here to read their report. The post Hexham paper reports on Major Family Law promotions appeared first on Major Family Law ..read more