For clients who are neurodivergent — or caring for a neurodivergent child — navigating the family court system can come with additional challenges. Whether you’re dealing with divorce, a financial settlement, or a dispute about child arrangements, the court process…
The Private Law Pathfinder Pilot
In an effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of private law proceedings in family courts, the UK government introduced the Private Law Pathfinder Pilot. The recently published process evaluation looks at the pilot’s impact, highlighting key successes, ongoing challenges,…
Family Court Trends in 2024
The landscape of family law in England and Wales continues to evolve, with 2024 bringing notable trends in divorce applications, orders to prevent domestic abuse, and private law cases. The latest statistics provide insights into the shifts in family court…
Financial Settlements and Neurodivergent Children

When a relationship ends, there will need to be some discussions or negotiations about how finances are to be dealt with. If your child is neurodivergent, they will have additional needs. This financial settlement will primarily need to consider the…
Who Keeps the Dog in a Divorce?

Divorce settlements often involve disputes over finances, property, and child arrangements. But what happens when the disagreement is about a beloved family dog? A recent case FI v DO highlights how courts approach pet ownership. The Background In this case,…
Divorce and the Accelerated First Appointment Procedure

Going through a divorce can be stressful and expensive. But there is a way to make the process quicker and cheaper. It’s called the Accelerated First Appointment Procedure, and it can help couples move forward without unnecessary delays. What is…
Child arrangements for children with autism

When parents separate, they will try to agree arrangements for their children between themselves. If they are unable to agree on a plan, they may attend mediation, and eventually court, as they work towards establishing a fixed timetable for a…
Who pays for marital debts in a divorce?

We discuss the treatment of debts in a financial order – before marriage, during marriage and after separation. When deciding how the assets of a marriage are to be shared, we also have to look at how the debts are…
Stopping a child maintenance order or a global maintenance order
Does your final financial order contain a child maintenance order or a global maintenance order, and 12 months have passed since that order was made? If so, you are entitled to apply for an assessment of child maintenance via the…
Are finances always split 50/50 in a divorce?
It is a really common misconception that finances are automatically split 50/50 in a divorce. It is actually quite rare that this happens when it comes to housing. The reason it is rare, is that 50/50 equal sharing of assets…