Expert Comments

Blog

family-law
mediation-and-arbitration

Courts To Encourage Mediation In Family Cases

Changes were made to the family court rules in April to promote mediation and other forms for dispute resolution outside of court. Vanessa Friend, a partner in our family law…

May 22, 2024

Vanessa Friend

Opinion

child-law
court
family-law

Understanding The Increase In Family Court Fees

The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) has confirmed a 10% increase in family court fees. In this article Vanessa Friend, a Partner in the Family Law department, considers the changes. This…

April 24, 2024

Vanessa Friend

Blog

family-law

What Can I Do If My Partner Is Blocking Contact Or Travel Over The Festive Period?

With the festive period fast approaching, questions that are often asked of family practitioners is how do parents divide the Christmas holidays, in particular, who gets Christmas Day contact and…

November 22, 2023

Rebecca Coates

Opinion

court

Transparency In Family Courts – A Work In Progress

Open Justice This is a key principle of our legal system. Up and down the country, courts sit every day in open court, ie where members of the public and…

February 21, 2023

Opinion

Marriage: Changes in the law

Under the Age of Marriage Act 1929, the minimum age of marriage was 16, if parental permission was given. On Monday 27 February 2023 this is changing to only allow…

February 20, 2023

Jessica Wells

Opinion

child-law
divorce

The Unseen Client – A Child’s Rights In Family Proceedings

The guiding ethos at Hodge Jones & Allen is to Fight For What Is Right – but what is ‘right’ in private family law proceedings? In some cases this is…

February 16, 2023

Rebecca Shotton

Opinion

civil-partnership

The Proposal – What Is The Best Way To Formalise Your Relationship?

In this blog Jacqueline Major, Partner in the Family Team, talks about same sex couples thinking about formalising their relationships. PEOPLE OF THE PRIDE: We’ll all be free to fall…

February 8, 2023

Blog

mediation-and-arbitration

Family Mediation Week 2023: Help To Focus On The Future

The Family Law team at Hodge Jones & Allen recognise and support Family Mediation Week, every year, in January (16th – 22nd). The aim of the week is to raise…

January 16, 2023

Opinion

divorce
mediation-and-arbitration

Unprecedented Delays In The Family Courts – Alternative Routes To Resolving Family Disputes

The government has been urged to address the unprecedented backlog in the family courts. According to data from HM Courts & Tribunal Service, the number of open private law cases…

December 1, 2022

Rebecca Shotton

Opinion

family-law

Understanding Step-Parent Adoptions and Parental Responsibility

It is estimated that 1 in 3 families are now step-families or blended families, and they are the fastest growing family type in the UK. Step-families can arise when a…

May 24, 2022

Opinion

financial-provision

How Are Loans From Family Members Treated During Financial Remedy Proceedings?

We often see the phrase ‘the bank of Mum & Dad’ bandied about, as the next generation of young couples seek to establish a life for themselves in an increasingly…

April 22, 2022

Opinion

divorce

On 6th April 2022 No Fault Divorce Goes Live in England & Wales

6 April 2022 heralds the arrival of no fault divorce, for marriages and no fault dissolution for civil partnerships. This is a change in the divorce/dissolution procedure that has long…

March 31, 2022

Blog

separation

What Decisions Can I Make About My Child’s Care Without The Other Parent’s Consent?

When parents separate, the resulting co-parent relationship can be a difficult one to navigate. Not only do you face the prospect of spending less time with your children, but you…

March 21, 2022

Blog

mediation-and-arbitration

Family Mediation Week 2022: Help To Focus On The Future

The Family Law team at Hodge Jones & Allen recognise and support Family Mediation Week, every year, in January (17th – 22nd). The aim of the week is to raise…

January 18, 2022

Opinion

divorce

Adele Talks Divorce On Her New Album – We Tell You How To Navigate Through It

On 19th November, Adele released her latest (and much anticipated) album ‘30’, a body of work that – as expected from Adele – has been touching the hearts of people,…

December 14, 2021

Vanessa Friend

Blog

prenuptial-and-cohabitation-agreement

Are Prenuptial Agreements legally binding in England & Wales?

A prenuptial agreement is a formal contract between two people prior to marriage or civil partnership, which sets out how their finances will be organised in the event of the...

October 11, 2021

Blog

divorce
family-law
separation

How to prepare for an initial consultation with a family lawyer

A report from the Ministry of Justice last week confirmed that 66,357 new cases began in the family courts which is a 14% rise as compared to the same period…

October 6, 2021

Blog

child-law
civil-partnership

What happens to adopted children after a civil partnership ends?

The breakdown of a relationship can be a difficult and sensitive time and you may also be worrying about what arrangements need to be made for your children. Parental responsibility…

August 25, 2021

Blog

divorce

What To Expect From Divorce Court?

Taking the decision to end a marriage and get a divorce is not easy. You may be dealing with a range of emotions, all while trying to grasp how divorce…

June 15, 2021

Opinion

mediation-and-arbitration

The Parents Promise

A few weeks ago, a documentary on Channel 4 highlighted the significant problems facing a number of separated families at this time: children caught in the middle of an acrimonious…

June 10, 2021