When is a divorce not a divorce? According to the papers, Katie Price and Peter Andre's marriage was brought to an end today. Not so fast......they'll be waiting at least another six weeks before they can finalise their divorce. Today their "decree nisi" of divorce was pronounced. This is... read more

  Many of my clients have contacted me in a state of distress after their partner has told them they will apply for "custody" of the children and that as a result, the other parent will lose their rights in relation to the child or children. This is simply not the case under English law,... read more

  Sadly September, along with January, is one of the peak times of the year for couples to separate. If you are having marital problems, and are considering separating, here is some legal advice that you should consider:-   1. If I leave the house will I lose my claim to... read more

On 1st September 2009 section 54 of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 2008 comes into force. This section allows a married couple, two civil partners, or two people living as partners in an enduring family relationship (who are not closely related) to make an application to the court... read more

The court's powers in relation to perpetrators of domestic violence has been increased. The changes will allow courts to grant restraining orders following conviction for any offence and also to issue a restraining order where someone has been acquitted of assault, if it is considered... read more

There have been mixed reactions this week to the news that a “DIY” DNA testing kit will soon be available in chemist shops across the UK. This seems like good news for families eager to end uncertainty surrounding a child’s paternity.  However, the widespread availability of kits may... read more

John Cleese and his third wife, Faye Eichelberger, have apparently reached a settlement which will leave her better off than him. Ms Eichelberger is to receive £8million in cash and other assets (including an apartment in New York and a mews house in London) and £600,000 a year for seven... read more

It's often said that women come to England to issue divorce proceedings as the English family courts give more favourable divorce settlements to wives that the courts abroad. There is also a big difference throughout England too. The family courts in some parts of the country... read more

The government has just published the latest insolvency statistics for the second quarter to June 2009. During this period, The Insolvency Service reported 33,073 individual insolvencies – an increase of 27.4% on the same period last year. This included 18,870 bankruptcies (up 15.3% on the... read more

Figures released within the last few days suggest that parental child abduction (where one parent takes a child to another country without the consent of the other parent or of the court) has increased over the last few years.  Almost 500 children were abducted from England and Wales last... read more