A dissection of delays in the family courts
Delays at the family courts have increased by almost a quarter in the last year, reaching a record high of 42.7 weeks for divorce cases to complete up from 34.4 weeks in 2020-21. On this fact, Katie O’Callaghan, Partner in Boodle Hatfield’s Family team, says that years of chronic underfunding of the family court system […]
“Discriminatory” divorce settlement overturned in watershed judgment
Divorce proceedings between an unnamed couple have caused a seismic change in how marital assets are divided. The case has been seen as a major step forward for gender equality and for recognising the role of women in the household. The case involved a wealthy businessman and stay-at-home mother who was largely responsible for raising […]
Are contentious divorces becoming a thing of the past?
The Family Justice System is currently undergoing significant changes to try and reduce the strain and backlog faced by families. The introduction of no-fault divorce and extended funding for mediation for disputes concerning children (£5.38million this financial year, raising the total invested in the scheme to £8.68million since March 2021) demonstrates a continued commitment to […]
ONS: record number of babies being born out of wedlock
Latest Office for National Statistics (ONS) for England and Wales in 2021 show that the number of babies born to unmarried mothers and those not in a civil partnership have overtaken those born to mothers in such relationships for the first time since records began in 1845. There were 624,828 live births registered in England […]
Surrogacy: an analysis of X v Z (Parental Order Adult) [2022]
Extended feature: an analysis of X v Z (Parental Order Adult) [2022] In her third and final article in the National Surrogacy Week series, Natalie Sutherland, partner at Burgess Mee Family Law, looks at the first ever Parental Order that was made in respect of a surrogate born child, who is now an adult. It […]
Neurotech report sets out possible legal issues of the future
Neurotechnological advances in decades to come could lead to lawyers grappling with the human rights implications of brain monitoring and manipulation, a new report commissioned by the Law Society of England and Wales has revealed. Neurotechnology, law and the legal profession sets out the challenges and opportunities developments in neurotech may bring for the law […]
Six things to watch for when advising intended parents in a surrogacy arrangement
Surrogacy law is an incredibly rewarding and less litigious part of family law; where you can feel proud in the part you play in helping your clients to grow their family unit and positively change their lives for the better. However, it is crucial that when practising in this specialist area, you are equally prepared […]
How a paralegal can assist a litigant in person
If you are a Licensed Paralegal Practitioner and you have been assisting a client with their legal matter, but it seems inevitable that the case cannot be resolved, it may be necessary to go to court. If such circumstances arise, then whether the case is a criminal or civil matter will guide you as to […]
The unseen damage from parental alienation
What is parental alienation? There is no formal definition. Broadly speaking, however, parental alienation refers to situations where one parent’s unjustified behaviours and negativity can damage a child’s relationship with the other parent and turn their emotions against them. It often leads to the non-resident parent having no contact with their child. It can include […]
