Deciding to get a divorce from your partner can be a difficult and upsetting time. There are many factors you need to consider, including the financial aspect of the divorce, agreeing how the assets will be divided including what will happen to the family home. You may feel it is unfair to divide your assets equally in the divorce settlement if you built-up significant assets before your marriage, or inherited your home from a loved one. In … Read More
Difference Between Civil Partnerships and Marriage
Over the years, there has been significant changes to the Marriage Act 1949 and Civil Partnership Act 2004. In this article, we look at the difference between civil partnerships and marriage. The Difference Between Civil Partnerships and Marriage What is a Civil Partnership? On 5th December 2005, the Civil Partnership Act 2004 came into force in the UK, meaning same-sex … Read More
The 5 Stages of Divorce Explained
Considering getting a divorce from your partner? Divorce is a complex area of law and can be confusing to many. Our clients often ask us what they need to do in order to get a divorce from their spouse. In this article our specialist Divorce Solicitors explain what are the 5 stages of divorce, to understand the process and what is required at each stage. What are … Read More
How to Get a Child Arrangement Order?
After getting a divorce/dissolution or separation from your partner it is important you make arrangements for your child or children. You will need to make decisions and come to an agreement with the other parent about where the child will live and how frequently they will spend time with the other parent. There are occasions where parents cannot come to … Read More
Delay Announced to the Introduction of No-fault Divorce
Introduction of No-fault Divorce Delayed The Government has confirmed that it cannot meet its own deadline for the introduction of the no-fault divorce legislation. An initial target had been set of Autumn 2021 for the introduction of the long-awaited changes to the UK’s Divorce Law. The changes would bring an end to the requirement to show unreasonable behaviour or wrongdoing … Read More
Do We Need to Formalise Our Separation?
Separating from your partner? You may be wondering if you need to formalise your separation. In this article, our expert Family Law Solicitors explain what you need to do when you separate from your partner. So, Do We Need to Formalise Our Separation? Whether you were cohabiting, married or in a civil partnership with your former partner, you are not … Read More
What Are the Rights of Unmarried Couples Living Together
What are the rights of unmarried couples living together? It is becoming increasingly popular for couples to live together before either getting married or choosing not to get married at all. Unmarried couples living together are also referred to as cohabiting couples or common-law partners. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that the number of families with … Read More
Impact of Covid-19 on Child Maintenance Payments
What is the impact of Covid-19 on child maintenance payments? The Covid-19 pandemic has drastically changed our lives and has caused uncertainty for millions of individuals and families across the country. With lockdown restrictions affecting jobs and incomes, many parents are concerned what may happen to their child maintenance payments if their circumstances change. In this article, we highlight the impact of Covid-19 on child maintenance … Read More
Love in Lockdown – Unmarried Couples Living Together
The national lockdowns have prevented us from socialising with our loved ones and friends, many unmarried couples decided to take the plunge and move in together to avoid potentially spending months apart. When unmarried couples move in together, they need to consider the legal aspects. With Valentine’s Day this weekend why not show your partner you love them by protecting their future? In this article, our Family … Read More
HeartUnions Week 2021❤️
HeartUnions Week 8th – 14th February 2021 Morrish Solicitors are proud to be supporting the HeartUnions campaign organised by the Trades Union Congress. We have decades of history providing legal services for Unions and their members so we recognise the fantastic work they do, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. During this week Trade Unions, Associations and their members will be sharing their stories to raise awareness about why Unions are vital for working people and … Read More
What is a Cohabitation Agreement & Why Do I Need One?
More couples are choosing to live together without being married this is known as cohabitation. Cohabitating couples are in a very different position to married couples because they do not acquire legal rights no matter how long they live together. Therefore, it is important you protect yourselves by speaking to a solicitor about a cohabitation agreement. In this article, we … Read More
Significant Rise in Divorces in England and Wales
According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) there has been a significant rise in divorces in England and Wales. Significant Rise in Divorces in England and Wales The data reveals that in 2019 the number of couples getting divorced in England and Wales increased by almost a fifth, making it the highest figure in 5 years. There were 107,559 heterosexual (opposite sex) couples granted divorce in … Read More
How to Achieve an Amicable Divorce
How to achieve an amicable divorce? When a couple have agreed they no longer want to be together and have decided to divorce, it is often associated with negative connotations, but does a marriage always need to end on bad terms? To show our support for the ‘Good Divorce Week’ campaign organised by Resolution, our Divorce and Family Law Solicitors … Read More
Supporting Good Divorce Week 2020
Good Divorce Week 2020 Morrish Solicitors are proud to be supporting the annual ‘Good Divorce Week’ campaign organised by Resolution. The campaign runs from Monday 30th November to Friday 4th December 2020. Each year Resolution raises awareness of issues that are important to their members. This year they will be promoting their Code of Practice, which focuses on a constructive approach to family issues and takes into account the needs of the whole family. Our Family Law Solicitors are … Read More
10 Common Divorce Questions & Answers
What are the 10 common divorce questions and answers in the UK? According to statistics, almost 50% of marriages in England and Wales end in divorce. Divorce is the legal process between a married couple to dissolve their marriage and the divorce proceeds through the family courts. Divorce law is complicated so, if you are considering getting a divorce from your spouse you may have questions about what it … Read More
Family Law during the COVID-19 pandemic
Court Proceedings (existing and new) and Family Law cases The court system is still functioning and there is strong public interest in keeping the family justice system working during the Coronavirus pandemic. Most hearings can be dealt with by telephone or video conferencing and cases can continue to be progressed by email between Solicitors and their clients. In some situations, … Read More
Major changes to Divorce Law on the way
In November of last year I wrote asking whether it was time to change the outdated divorce laws (in place since 1973) in England and Wales, by introducing “No Fault” Divorces. Many think the current fault-based divorce system exacerbates stress and tension at an already highly stressful time. There were concerns that it exposed children to the damaging impact of … Read More
We are family! Or are we?
The definition of “family” is changing. It used to be the nuclear unit of husband, wife and 2.4 children. Although the divorce rate has been going down recently, numbers of cohabitants are rising. And the belief you can be a “common law” husband or wife still exists, despite it being a myth. So what constitutes a family and is this … Read More
Is it Time to Introduce “No fault” Divorces?
Major reform to our Divorce laws could follow in the wake of a recent high-profile Divorce case. The government has said it is already “looking closely” at reforms to the Divorce system after the Supreme Court in the case of Owens v Owens ruled that a 68-year-old woman must remain married to her Husband. Mr and Mrs Owens married in … Read More
Government backs no fault divorce
On 15 September, the Justice Secretary David Gauke announced plans to introduce no fault divorce. The plans, set out in a consultation which runs until 10 December, would remove the need for couples to have been separated or to allege ‘fault’ in the divorce petition. Instead, there would be a new notification process where one, or possibly both parties, can … Read More
Pensions and Divorce: Women are missing out on £5 billion every year
Women going through divorce could be missing out on up to £5 billion every year because they don’t discuss pensions when dividing up the assets of the marriage. Pensions are often the second largest matrimonial asset after the matrimonial home. Whilst the ability to share in a spouse’s pension has been available to divorcing couples for nearly 20 years, all … Read More
Millions of couples at severe financial risk due to ‘common-law marriage’ myth
Millions of unmarried couples living together are unaware that they are at severe financial risk as a result of the current legal system, Resolution has warned. A poll of over 2,000 British adults, conducted by ComRes and commissioned by Resolution, to mark Cohabitation Awareness Week, has highlighted the misunderstanding of many cohabiting couples of the law in this area. The … Read More
Pre-nuptial agreements – are they for me?
Pre-nuptial agreements (known also as pre-marital agreements) were once considered by many to only be the preserve of the rich and famous. Times have changed and they are becoming more and more popular for ordinary couples and now form a key part of financial planning. For years these types of agreements were given very little weight in decisions made by … Read More
Cohabitation – myth vs reality
Nearly one in five couples in the UK now chooses to cohabit rather than marry. Figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed that cohabiting couples are now the fastest growing family type in the UK, with 3.3m families documented in 2016 – more than double the 1.5m recorded in 1996. Most of the public are however unaware of … Read More
No Fault Divorce Bill to receive second reading in January 2016
MPs have been urged to give serious consideration to changes in divorce laws, which have been floated a number of times in the past but never passed beyond the discussion stage. Backbench MP Richard Bacon is spearheading efforts for significant reforms, which would enable couples to divorce purely on the basis that both parties agree that their marriage has irreconcilably … Read More
Resolution launch Manifesto for family law
Today sees the launch of the Resolution Manifesto for Family Law, setting out what needs to change in the family justice system in order to improve the lives of separating and separated families across England and Wales. Resolution’s Manifesto for Family Law sets out what the next government should do in order to improve the lives of separating and separated families … Read More
Family Dispute Resolution Week
Resolution’s third Family Dispute Resolution week takes place this week. This awareness-raising week aims to highlight the alternatives to court for separating couples and their families. The national body for family lawyers, Resolution, has 6,500 members who are family lawyers and other professionals committed to the constructive resolution of family disputes. Members follow a Code of Practice that promotes a … Read More
Long-term family association with lawyer helps client secure power of attorney
When nurse James Thorp needed lifetime power of attorney (LPA) to help his elderly parents – whose physical and mental health was deteriorating – he contacted their solicitor. Now, he is backing a Law Society campaign to promote the work of solicitors. As more and more people are diagnosed with dementia, and with an ageing population, many people have elderly relatives to … Read More
Court of Protection – what is it and how does it work?
The Court of Protection is probably an institution that many people won’t have heard about. It is a Court based in London which helps to look after individuals who lack the capacity to make decisions for themselves. Someone loses their mental capacity in a variety of ways. The most common of these is when an elderly client is suffering from … Read More
Family Mediation – Information and Assessment Meetings become a “Must”
April saw the introduction of the much anticipated Children and Families Act 2014. Section 10 of the act now governs how applications to court for private children issues and financial applications following divorce and breakdown of civil partnerships are to be dealt with. As a result of these changes any individual wishing to issue an application to court in relation … Read More
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