Divorce & Family Law

Our caring team of resourceful Family Solicitors take time to really listen to you, identify your priorities and understand your expectations. They are experienced in providing advice and assistance on all aspects of family law including children and the settlement of care arrangements, divorce, financial disputes, injunctions and protection from harassment.

Are you considering divorce or separation? If you would like to discuss your matter, please contact one of our specialist Family Team for confidential advice that you can trust.

The breakdown of a marriage or a civil partnership can be a very stressful time for all involved, including children, but we can provide the expert knowledge and professional support to assist you throughout the divorce process.

You may have many questions to ask:

• How soon can a divorce petition be issued?
• What grounds are available?
• What are the costs involved?
• What is judicial separation?
• When is an annulment appropriate?
• Will you have to attend Court?
• How long does the process take?

So many questions, but the Family Team at Tureng Solicitors have the answers.

The procedure starts with a divorce petition and ends with Decree Absolute, which dissolves the marriage. In most cases other issues arise as a result of the divorce, such as sorting out the finances of the marriage and these will need to be resolved before the divorce is finalised.

Financial claims continue against each other despite the granting of Decree Absolute and the Decree Absolute affects any inheritance left to a spouse in a will. Obtaining legal advice when considering a divorce is a must and our combination of experience, detailed legal knowledge, and the latest IT and technical support, will ensure that you receive the very best client care, support and service.

For some time now, Family Practitioners have been waiting for confirmation of when the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 will come into force in the UK. The Government have now confirmed that this will be on 6th April 2022. This means that, from this date onwards, all married couples will be able to divorce without assigning blame.

Have you wondered what would happen in relation to the assets of the marriage if you were to divorce your spouse? For instance, what would happen to the family home, would you be able to stay living there or would it have to be sold and if so, how will the proceeds be divided and how would other savings, investments and pensions be taken into consideration? It is important that you obtain legal advice when life changing decisions are to be made and at the earliest opportunity.

There are a number of factors that will be relevant to the division of your assets, including your age, how long you have been married, your financial resources and those of your spouse, your earning potential, standard of living and needs. The needs of any dependent children will be the first consideration, to ensure that they are securely housed and with their resident parent having the resources to adequately provide for them.

The ambition is to achieve a division of the assets that is fair to both spouses, but there can be creative solutions particularly in meeting needs. Our expert advice will also consider the nature of the assets and whether they should be subject to division, depending on when they were accumulated and how they were used within the marriage.

Our specialist team can advise you on all aspects of the financial process, providing clear and relevant advice that will enable you to negotiate with your spouse in confidence, to secure the best outcome. If you have reached an agreement with your spouse then we will guide you in ensuring that the agreement is formalised as part of your divorce, with a consent order approved by the Family Court.

If the financial issues are not agreed then we do support forms of dispute resolution, including mediation. We will consider what resources are available to try and resolve your dispute amicably, supporting you through the chosen process.

Ultimately, if the financial issues cannot be agreed and Court proceedings are necessary, our experienced family team can guide you every step of the way to ensure that the best settlement possible can be achieved for you.

Whether your assets are modest or considerable, our matrimonial team has the experience and expertise to assist you.

The Government has recognised that domestic violence can extend beyond acts of physical violence and include emotional or other psychological abuse, harassment or controlling behaviour. As solicitor practitioners, we are skilled to advise you on the remedies that are available to you, guiding you through them cost efficiently.

We work closely with other organisations including the Police and service agents, so that we can secure the best outcomes and – when required – on an urgent basis.

If you have experienced domestic violence or are at risk of harm, then contact us for urgent advice as soon as possible. We recognise the harmful impact that domestic violence – in whatever form – has on its victims. We will prioritise meeting with you urgently and at any of our offices so that we are able to advise you and if instructed, to secure the necessary protective measures as soon as possible.

Separation can be a difficult time and particularly for any children. Parents must still be able to make appropriate arrangements for their children, whether it is in respect of where they will live (including dispute as to which Country they will live in), when and how they will spend time with each of their parents, the child’s education and other such important considerations. Where parents are not able to resolve such matters between them, we offer clear advice on the way forward.

We encourage an amicable resolution whether in taking forward proposals with one of the parents, in helping to formulate a parenting plan or in supporting forms of dispute resolution. However, where it is not possible for all arrangements to be amicably agreed, we have specialist knowledge and experience to pursue the best outcome through a formal application to the Family Court.

A Court application is for Child Arrangements Orders. These replaced the old style of “Residence” and “Contact” Orders (formerly known as “Custody” and “Access” Orders) and focus on where the child will live and when they will spend time with each of their parents.

The law does promote both parents having an important role to play in a child’s future life, irrespective of who left the relationship, or how the parent personally may feel about their former partner. The emphasis is very much the child, with their best interests being the Court’s paramount consideration. Unless there is a very good reason for the child not to spend time with one of the parents, ie. that the child will be at risk of significant harm from that parent, then the Court is to presume that involvement of that parent in the life of the child concerned will further the child’s welfare.

In the event you are currently facing difficulties with regard to the arrangements for your child(ren) then please do not hesitate to contact our specialist children department for child focused, sound advice for the best outcome for you and your child(ren).