The false notion of a ‘common law marriage’ existing in UK law is a widespread one. According to a poll conducted this time last year by Resolution, a national organisation of family lawyers, two-thirds of people in unmarried cohabiting relationships were unaware that there is no such thing as a common-law marriage.

The breakdown of a relationship is rarely easy but, in my experience, most separating couples welcome the chance to reach…

I am normally asked this question straight away. Unfortunately a definite answer cannot be given without receiving detailed financial information from both parties to a marriage. The courts approach in England and Wales is to divide the assets in a marriage on the basis of “fairness” and “reasonableness”. These can come across as woolly phrases to a client.

26-30 November is Resolution’s Good Divorce Week. Head of the Family Law at Hodge Jones & Allen Solicitors Jacqueline Major talks through how to achieve a Good Divorce.
Divorce has a reputation of being bad and ugly. In over 22 years of practice I can firmly say there is such a thing as a good divorce and this is the key: Information, Communication, Negotiation and Resolution.

With courts backlogged across the country and an increase in the number of litigants in person (people representing themselves) in private family proceedings, it can seem as though the divorce process is taking longer and longer.

The questions which continue to arise are things such as is there a way that I can get a quickie divorce? There is no such thing as a quickie divorce. The time it takes for the court to process a divorce ranges from around 6 months up to a number of years, given the divorcing couple’s specific circumstances.