A court has ordered that a six-year-old boy should live with his father because the mother had constantly ignored contact orders over several years. The two parents separated before the boy was born and the mother became the primary carer following the birth. The father tried to establish contact with his son but the mother
Divorcing couples are being urged to use mediation to settle their disputes instead of engaging in lengthy court battles. The latest figures released by the Office of National Statistics show that more than 100,000 people get divorced each year. Family Justice Minister Simon Hughes says mediation can help settle disputes over issues such as money
A woman has failed to get an improved divorce settlement even though her husband had misled the court about the extent of his wealth. The case involved a couple who separated after 17 years of marriage. The assets were divided with the wife getting around 65% in cash and properties, giving her a total of
Marital agreements including pre-nups and post-nups could become legally binding without the need for court approval under a proposed new law. At present, such agreements are not legally binding although there has been a growing trend for courts to uphold them unless they are unfair to one side or the other. Now the Law Commission,
The government says mediation is a cheaper, less stressful process than going through the courts, and also provides more long-term solutions that are acceptable to both parties. According to official statistics, separations involving court action take about four times longer than when mediation is used. Mediation involves couples holding discussions overseen by a trained mediator
The number of children abducted from the UK by their parents has doubled in the last 10 years, according to official figures from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). In 2003-04, the FCO dealt with 272 parental child abduction and international custody cases. This figure had risen to 580 in 2012-13. That is the second
The Court of Appeal has rejected a woman’s claim that she is entitled to half the fortune her ex-husband amassed in the 20 years after they separated. The couple were married in 1985 and had two children, but divorced six years later. Their combined assets were divided between them, with the wife getting the family
When couples separate, emotions can often hinder difficult issues being discussed. Mediation is a process that is designed to help people reach an early agreement, with the minimum of cost, delay and confrontation. It can ease the pain of a family breakdown or separation, encourages people to be open and discuss the implications of their
The divorce rate may be set to rise as the recession ends and the economy recovers, according to a survey of family lawyers. The survey, carried out by accountancy firm Grant Thornton, found that eight out of 10 lawyers felt that the recession had led to married couples delaying divorce proceedings. The reason is thought
A father has won his appeal against a judge’s decision that his daughter should be sent back toSpainto live with her mother. The case involved a couple with four children. The father was British and the mother was Spanish. The family had spent most of their time living in theUK, but when the couple’s relationship