October 13, 2023 | Posted by :
Frances Lindsay |
Divorce
You have probably googled some version of how to divide the assets on divorce and have seen that it is a 50:50 split. You have also probably seen many articles which say that is not always true. If you haven’t seen the articles, then I am here to tell you that it is not always true.
I love Google. I get so much information from Google. It is an amazing and mostly knowledgeable resource. The trouble with it when looking at what happens to assets on divorce is that Google dredges up responses from around the world and keywords for various articles. So, let’s look at what happens in our world. The jurisdiction is England and Wales. Other parts ...
December 23, 2021 | Posted by :
Lexi |
Divorce
Concerns around money, making children’s arrangements, whether seeing family and friends will be possible, trying to maintain a (safe) social life, juggling work and housework and dealing with legal issues… It all piles up, and the annual headlines about spikes in new year divorce applications are no coincidence. Separation stress adds to this until often the situation comes to a head over the holiday period, acting as a catalyst for making that final decision.
With all that the last year (and more) has given us, and the uncertainty of the near future, negotiating Christmas with potential Covid restrictions is complicated enough. If you add in the negotiations needed for those ...
March 23, 2018 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
The process of divorce can be fraught with animosity but it’s important to focus on the endgame – parting ways and starting anew – rather than getting wrapped up in antagonistic pettiness, as proven recently by a wealthy UK couple who have already spent a third of their assets on their ongoing divorce battle. The estranged couple, Barbara Cooke and Michael Parker, have been fighting over joint assets worth over £6 million in a case that has been described as a ‘scandalous waste of court time’ by the judge, after spending over £2 million on lawyers’ fees.
Judge Holman claims that the couple have ‘completely lost touch with reality’ over their ...
March 16, 2018 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
When you decide to separate, choosing the right process for you and your family is the most important first step. Each situation will be different, and there are a number of different options to suit varying circumstances.
But before you seek help from a solicitor, ask yourself a few fundamental questions about what you need and what kind of outcome you’re looking for:
What are the most important issues you need to discuss?
What are your priorities? Dividing up assets or sorting out living arrangements or dealing with children’s issues? Are there any provisional agreements you can make before you seek legal help to streamline the process? Which issues are non-negotiable and ...
November 26, 2016 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
Family law organisation Resolution recently updated its Code of Practice to reflect its aims to shape the family justice system for the better. To raise awareness of these changes, Resolution are running the Good Divorce Week campaign from 28th November to 2nd December – join us on Twitter and follow the hashtag #ABetterWay to see how we can work together to move away from towards a system of divorce without blame.
On Wednesday 30th of November, 150 members of Resolution will be holding a Lobby Day in Parliament to campaign for no-fault divorce and improved rights for cohabiting couples. According to research conducted by the family law organisation, ...
November 12, 2016 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
When you’re going through a divorce, worrying about money can add extra stress during an already challenging period of upheaval. As well as legal fees and the uncertainty around the duration of the process, you may also have to adjust your finances to accommodate extra outgoings and changes to your circumstances.
The first thing you should do when you’ve made the decision to separate is speak to your solicitor and discuss your options – resolving financial disputes out of court via arbitration or mediation is generally much cheaper than bringing your case to court, and may help you to come to a more mutually beneficial agreement with your ex. ...
October 10, 2016 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
In case you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last few weeks, the latest big celebrity news concerns Angelina Jolie’s application for divorce from Brad Pitt, citing ‘irreconcilable differences’ (grounds for divorce that we don't currently have in the UK, but which would probably be categorised under 'unreasonable behaviour'). Understandably, the couple are trying to keep their affairs as private as possible amid mass speculation, cynicism and much unpleasantly gleeful wagon-jumping on reporting the news. We’re not going to add to that, although there’s one aspect of the news that we thought was worth exploring – a comment made by Jolie regarding the separation, saying that she had made ...
September 19, 2016 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
A common and particularly sensitive issue that often arises during separation is when the desire to separate is not mutual. There are many different reasons why one partner may not want to go through with the separation process. Sometimes, one partner feels that there is still hope for their relationship and wants to try working through the problem. Sometimes one partner has simply fallen out of love but is finding it hard to articulate why. Whatever the situation, if there is a disagreement over separation, the process will need careful handling with the guidance and support of an experienced solicitor to help you come to ...
July 28, 2016 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
Divorcing when you have children means there are more than just the two of you to consider. Your children’s well-being needs to come first – no matter how angry or bitter you may be about the split, and no matter how hard it is to negotiate a resolution. It can be difficult for parents to put themselves in their children’s shoes during separation, and even the most well-intentioned parents can take the wrong approach. On one end of the spectrum, some parents try to protect their kids by pretending everything’s normal, when children usually prefer to know what’s going on, so long as it’s explained ...
January 13, 2016 | Posted by :
J Morris |
Blog
Divorcing couples often find themselves divorce blame when it comes to negotiating a settlement. From the outset, ‘fault’ is assigned when one party states grounds for divorce – be it adultery, abandonment, or unreasonable behaviour. It’s understandable that separating couples feel the need to lay blame on one another – divorce is a melting pot of emotions, and holding your ex responsible for the hurt you’re feeling is a natural reaction. .And for someone who has had to endure a cheating spouse or emotional abuse, dividing up their assets equally can seem horribly unfair, especially when their ex’s bad conduct is at the root of their divorce However, it is a common misconception that bad behaviour will influence ...