Tag: Marriage

When Should You Hire a Family Lawyer?

It can be incredibly difficult and upsetting when legal issues arise within a family. There are many different reasons why a family might be struggling with legal issues.  A family lawyer can help manage all of these family affairs, making it easier for your family to get professional advice and sort out any issues you may be having. 

But what sort of legal issues may require a family lawyer? Below, we take a look at some of the reasons you may need a family lawyer. 

Marriage

If you are preparing for a marriage, it is important that you seek legal advice. Although it may seem like a simple ceremony, it can be actually quite complicated legally. A lawyer can help you understand the marital laws of your state and any advice on any marital rights you should know. If you are considering getting a prenup, a family lawyer will also be able to help you navigate this. 

Divorce

Divorce can be incredibly tricky for any family, and ending a marriage can be a long and complicated process. There are various reasons why you will need a family lawyer to help deal with a divorce. An attorney will help you sort out issues like: dividing property and working out property ownership, child custody, and alimony.

Adoption

Adopting a child is incredibly exciting, but it is a long and strenuous legal process. For some people, it can take years to be given a child to adopt, and even then it can take a few months to finalise the documents. A family lawyer will make sure that your adoption papers are all up to standard and will hopefully ensure that your adoption will be successful. 

What is a quickie divorce?

Anyone that reads celebrity news will have come across the term “quickie divorce” at some point over the years.

If you’ve read about Ant McPartlin, Cheryl Cole, Rowan Atkinson, or Louise Redknapp’s divorces, then you may be under the impression that they received special celebrity treatment, a divorce in just a matter of seconds!

These media reports about so called “quickie divorces” are actually very misleading, as all divorces go through the same process, no matter what your celebrity status.

So, what are the media actually referring to when they say that Cheryl Cole received “Britain’s fastest ever quickie divorce”, and was divorced in just 14 seconds?

The part of the divorce process that is being referred to here is how long it took the judge to read out the pronouncement of the first decree.

Once a couple receive the first decree, this does not mean that their divorce is complete, it is simply confirmation from the court that they agree there are grounds for a divorce.

The divorce will not be finalised until the decree absolute has been granted, and unless there are exceptional circumstances the couple must then wait a minimum of six weeks and one day before applying for the decree absolute.

Exceptional circumstances are considered on a case by case basis. The most common reasons for a decree absolute to be expedited is if one person is dying and wishes to divorce before they pass away, or if one party has moved onto a new relationship, is pregnant, and wishes to remarry before the baby is born. Celebrity status certainly doesn’t play a part!
Generally, all divorces in the UK take between 6 and 12 months to complete. If financial matters take a long time to resolve, then the process can take even longer.

For help or advice with filing for a divorce quickly and efficiently, give our team of solicitors here at Lund Bennett a call on 0161 927 3118.

New study shows that 7.6 Million Parents Stay Together Because Of Their Kids

A new study has indicated that over a fifth of parents have stayed in a relationship for longer than they wanted to for the sake of their children.

On average, parents stayed together an additional five and a half years because of their children, when they would have otherwise split up.

Also, parents are staying in relationships for over half a decade longer than they would have if it wasn’t for their children.

Interestingly, the study, which was commissioned by Direct Line Insurance, also demonstrated a division between men and women on their reasons for staying together. The main reason for men is because they believe it is better for children to have two parents living at home (46 per cent), while for women it is because they cannot afford to separate with the other parent (31 per cent). This highlights the financial challenges many families, and especially women, can face when splitting up as the previous combined household income then needs to stretch across two properties and often cover additional childcare costs too.

There is a clear generational difference, with parents now over the age of 55 believing they stayed in a relationship for nearly seven years longer due to their kids, compared to just over three years for parents currently under the age of 35. It shows how attitudes are changing towards break-ups and relationships where children are involved.

If you have a family law query, then please contact our team at Lund Bennett Law LLP on 0161 924 0079.

What does the New Year mean for your relationship?

Now the decorations have come down and people have recovered from the Christmas festivities is the time that families reflect on what they want to achieve from the year ahead.

Sadly, for many this means a decision to separate from a marriage or a partnership. A New Year, and for 2020 a new decade, can have a strange effect on people and give them a boost to make and implement life changing decisions.

These should never be taken likely and it is always upsetting when a relationship breaks down, particularly when children are involved.

In 2019, there were hopes that there would be widespread reform of the divorce system within England and Wales. Due to complications around Brexit and the snap General Election, these proposals were put on hold and their future remains uncertain. Those hoping to initiate proceedings under a ‘no fault’ divorce will have to use the grounds under the current system, which are: Adultery, Unreasonable Behaviour, Desertion – 2 continuous years, 2 years separation with consent and 5 years separation – no consent required.

There is however an exciting shake up to the laws surrounding relationships in 2020 for heterosexual couples. For the first time they will have with the ability to choose whether to enter into a marriage or a civil partnership, which has previously only been available to same-sex couples. It will be interesting to see how many take advantage of this option throughout the year.

Maybe people we advise feel a sense of loss or embarrassment over the breakdown of their relationship. Our approach is to listen to our clients and provide non-judgmental and pragmatic support and guidance during an initial consultation and throughout the process.

If you have a family law query, then please contact our team at Lund Bennett Law LLP on 0161 924 0079.

Who decides where a child lives after their parents separate?

Any separation can be difficult, but one that involves children can be particularly challenging and emotional.

The biggest decision that couples with children will need to make if they separate, is the children’s living arrangements.

Where possible, it is always easiest and less stressful for everyone involved if the family can come to an amiable agreement together.

However, this is not always possible. In instances where parents do not agree on where a child should live, they may need to seek help from one or more of the following:
•A solicitor specialising in family law.
•Mediation.
•The Family Court.

No matter which route you take to help decide the best living arrangements for your children, the welfare of the children is always considered first and foremost.

Family law solicitor
A family law solicitor will be able to advise you on all avenues open to you and provide you with sound legal advice and guidance.

Mediation
Mediation is a process guided by a trained, impartial, third-party that allows the two parties to have a constructive discussion and hopefully negotiate an outcome that all parties are happy with.

The Family Court
If an agreement still cannot be reached, then it may be necessary to apply to the Family Court for one or more orders to be made. A child arrangement order will decide who the child will live with, who they will spend time with, and when. In some cases, it may also be relevant for the court to issue a specific issue order or a prohibited steps order.

Lund Bennett are family law specialists based in Altrincham and Manchester. For legal help and guidance regarding disputes about child living arrangements, mediation services, or help applying for a court order, get in touch with our team of specialist solicitors by calling us on 0161 927 3118.

Is It Worth Getting Married These Days?

Marriage is being brought into question more than ever these days and for some couples, simply living together is preferable. Some people view marriage as a huge expense just for a piece if paper. They me even live together for decades and have children in the process. So, is entering into a marriage or civil partnership worth it?  

The short answer from a legal perspective is yes if you want to protect areas such as inheritance and save on huge tax bills either for those left behind when you die or a partner die. While this is not an article designed to promote marriage, indeed for some couples it can be preferable not to pass on their assets to a partner when they die, let’s highlight how being married can save a number of legal headaches.  

Perhaps the biggest consideration for mature unmarried couples is the will. If your partner dies you won’t inherit anything and the best you can hope for is some provision towards living costs. If you had children together inheritance will pass to them. If there are no children then your partners family members will be next in line to inherit as part of Intestacy Rules.  

The next potential issue is inheritance tax. Couples who marry will and leave everything to their spouse will have ensured no inheritance tax is due on the estate. The opposite is true for unmarried couples where IHT can take away a significant chunk of the inheritance.  

These potential outcomes are avoided if a couple decides to marry and there have been some high-profile cases where a person has decided to marry just before death for this very reason.

Brexit Divorce Dilemma For Property Owning Couples

With Brexit looming large in March property prices may see a dramatic readjustment that could go one way or the other depending on the outcome. This may not be an issue for those not planning on moving anytime soon but for couples on the edge of divorce there is now a dilemma.  

Property prices to a great extent are driven by a mixture of national sentiment, the availability of credit and seismic shocks to the economy. The financial crisis of 2008 for example brought prices tumbling across the country and many areas are still yet to recover.  

According to the Governor of the Bank of England, Mark Carney, a no deal Brexit could see prices fall by 35% in three years. Whether this actually turns out to be the case is another matter. Forecasts by the Bank of England aren’t always as accurate as the weather forecast and then there is the prospect that we get a deal, everything is forgotten and there is a boom in house prices.  

So the dilemma for divorcing couples where property biggest is their biggest asset is whether to go ahead with the process of divorce and risk selling and dividing up a property at a potential loss, or speed up the process in the hope that advantage can be taken of more favourable market conditions. 

Depending on the view of the person thinking of filing for divorce, the strategy may be to wait until all the fuss is over before proceeding.

Is Facebook Bad for your Marriage?

According to statistics it is. Research into reasons given for divorce in the UK show that Facebook is mentioned in 33% of divorces.  

While Facebook was originally conceived as a way for lost friends to get in touch with one another, its use has grown to the point where it has a a direct impact on the lives of those friends if used inappropriately.  

While much of what is posted in social media relates to people’s travels, family photos, food and nights out, there is sometimes a darker element to its use which can sometimes get out of hand.  

For one thing, getting in touch with lost friends can include those of the opposite sex such is the ease of tracking people down on the site. Depending on how either partner views getting back in contact with old flames, this can result in deep mistrust between partners and even divorce if behaviour is seen as unreasonable.   

News can also travel fast when it broadcast among friends and sometimes people may even use the Facebook to air their grievances about their husband or wife. Criticising a partner in front of several hundred friends can be a whole lot more damaging than doing it face to face.

Will I Have the Right To Remain In The UK Following Divorce?

The right to remain in the UK if you are a foreign national is becoming an increasingly hot topic even for EU citizens with Brexit looming on the horizon. So, what happens to your right to remain if your relationship with a British citizen ends in divorce?    

While divorce itself is far from an easy process, foreign nationals will have the additional process of trying to remain in the country following the split. This can often bring home the disappointing reality that the right to remain in the UK depended on the person who is now an ex-partner.  

Fortunately for EU citizens there may be a right to remain if they have been married and have lived in the UK for five or more years. For those outside the EU the process is not going to be quite so straightforward.  

Whatever the circumstances, you should seek legal advice and make the home office aware if you are at all unsure of your status post-divorce. This may help your case if you want to remain in the UK or apply for one of the various visas that can buy you time while you consider your options.  

Student visas, work visas and family visas are just some of the possible ways to remain in the UK with varying timeframes applying to each.

The Rising Cost of Divorce

Taking the decision to go ahead with a divorce is not to be taken lightly with fees rising rapidly in recent years. Taking this into account, it pays to ensure you are using the right solicitors firm to represent you and that they provide value for money.  

According to a survey released by the insurance company Aviva, the average cost of a divorce increased from £1,280 to £2,679 since 2014. This doubling of the fees inevitably places an enormous burden on those who lack the funds to pay fees.  

It must also be considered that the better family law firms will ensure the best outcomes in contested cases, which means selecting the cheapest firms might end up costing more in the long run.  

Divorce cases where children are involved can often be more complex than for couples with no children and in these cases, costs have risen by 62% to an average £5,671.  

In order to pay these sorts of fees people are generally forced to either borrow money or turn to friends and family for help.  

If you are concerned about any aspects of divorce including the fees involved we would be happy to advise on how are services are competitive and aimed at achieving the best outcomes for our clients.