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What rights do absent parents have if they come back into a child's life after several years' away?
The concept of a traditional family unit has changed, and, in some situations, this can give rise to...
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Who chooses whether your kids get vaccinated?
For decades, vaccinations have been regarded as the most important form of defence against childhood...
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I wish it could be Christmas every day!
So sang Wizzard, but leaving aside the health implications of eating a large roast dinner every day ...
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What happens when a parent wants to move away and take the children with them?
These days more and more people are spending time abroad, whether they’re overseas on business...
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Whether fiction or fact, marriage breakdown issues have been stealing more than their fair share of headlines in recent weeks.
BBC Radio 4 listeners tuned in to hear revelations about the oppressive relationship endured by Hele...
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Mills & Bust: Financial Mismanagement After Divorce
The Supreme Court has ruled on the case of Mills and Mills, and family practitioners have been takin...
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The Split: A Chain Reaction
Who would have thought a drama about divorce lawyers entitled The Split would spark our interest?
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Is your Partner Coercive?
It sneaked in virtually unannounced last Christmas, but The Serious Crime Act 2015 now makes crimina...
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How to make a “custody” battle less painful for everyone, especially the kids
No matter how bad a marriage or partnership breakdown is, it can be ten times worse if there are chi...
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When is a marriage not a marriage?
The concept of a divorce, the ending of a legal marriage, is well known.
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What makes a successful relationship?
As family lawyers our work often focusses on the end of relationships and helping people deal with t...
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Mrs Owens must stay married to her husband!
The Supreme Court has dismissed the appeal of Mrs Owens leaving the couple still married.
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Challenging times : what happens when family is cut out of the will
High profile inheritance disputes follow celebrities and the super-rich as surely as night follows d...
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Divorce goes virtual, but complex cases will keep their day in court
A new online service should cut the stress of applying for a divorce according to the Ministry of Ju...
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The Ex (Wives) Files: The Truth is Still Out There
With Agents Mulder and Scully set to return to the screen next year to continue their ongoing search...
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Matrimonial Property, Needs and Agreements
Today the Law Commission published its report, Matrimonial Property, Needs and Agreements, concludin...
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Winner takes it all
Recent headlines were grabbed by Enas Aly, a wife who recently received an award for 100% of an asse...
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Fifty Shades of Grey
Before you panic and worry that you have in error strayed into the realms of titillating fiction, th...
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A better way
Almost all of us have a direct experience of the heartache of separation and family breakdown, wheth...
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In Search of Simplification
n many aspects of our lives we look for a simple solution to what might seem to be ever more complex...
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Do-it yourself? The new child maintenance regime
The Child Support Agency (CSA) will be an organisation of whom most readers of this article will alr...
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Lies and Legal Fees
If you read The Times recently, an article about one of Britain’s leading female entrepreneurs...
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FAMILY LAW NEWS ROUND UP!
It is relatively quiet at this time of the year for family law news and, with World Cup (and Tennis!...
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Don’t take it E-asy
Divorce law hit the headlines a number of times in 2015, and managed a final appearance in December,...
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Putting Children First
Back in November this year, we saw family practitioners across the country promoting non-court optio...
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Voice of the Child
The Family Justice System, is committed to hearing the views of children and young people when their...
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Fathers’ success at court
Contrary to what some may believe, a recent report has indicated that the courts in England and Wale...
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23 years not too late
When couples get divorced they often want closure from the marriage and to move on to a fresh start....
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Divorce for the 21st Century
At Whitehead Monckton, our Family Law team is into Resolution, whether with a big “R&rdq...
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A step too far?
The story certainly got publicity but to what end? For many family lawyers, myself included, I...
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Fifty Shades Darker
Early this year, my colleague, Emma Palmer, wrote “Fifty Shades of Grey” reviewing the c...
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Conscious Uncoupling
The social media message that has recently stirred our interest is the declaration by Gwyneth Paltro...
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Your Bonus is my Bonus..... or is it?
The recent High Court case of H-v-W [2014)] has provided much needed clarity for that mystical quest...
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Arbitration Rules Ok
It has been four years since the inception of a new dispute resolution procedure for financial claim...
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Lineker not a fan of lawyers
Gary Lineker announced in January 2016 he and his second wife, Danielle Bux were divorcing. Gary has...
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Surrogacy – what’s the legal standpoint in the UK?
The news that you’re unable to have children of your own can be devastating for parents, espec...
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Till death us do part…or divorce?
Mari Vindis is fighting for a share of her late husband’s estate valued at £12 milion po...
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Private Life in the Public Eye
Paul McCartney & Heather Mills, Madonna & Guy Ritchie, Liam Gallagher & Nicole Appleton ...
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Implications of Brexit within Family Law
We are all aware that the UK’s vote to leave the EU will cause uncertainty across many industr...
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Brexit and Divorce Changes
With less than a year to go until the United Kingdom leaves the European Union, there are many compl...
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The Split: Break the Chain
So has this six episode divorce drama delivered on its promise to entertain you?
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When the end of summer spells the end of a marriage
September is traditionally a time of new beginnings, with children off to school or university and p...
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Relationship on the Rocks
The title of this article may conjure an image of cold, troubled waters with potential dangers above...
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Reformation or tradition?
Are Civil Partnerships the future for opposite-sex couples as an alternative to marriage? Some heter...
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Mythbusting: The Quickie Divorce
When a celebrity couple have the misfortune to divorce, media reports (particularly tabloid reportin...
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Parent Plan – a valuable tool to help parents communicate and stay organised
Even the most amicable of separating parents can struggle with the trials and tribulations of organi...
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Getting rocky relationships through tinsel-time
The family-focus of Christmas is often followed in January with news of unhappy couples who decide t...
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A week of changes in family law
This week saw two cases which purport to have changed the face of family law dramatically.
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Unmarried couples need to protect themselves
In Emma Palmer's recent article one of the cases she highlighted was the landmark victory in the...
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We are not all equal upon separation
Many people for varied reasons choose not to get married but how many of those same people realise t...
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Decision-making for children: who knows best?
The high profile but tragic story of Charlie Gard, who is the baby suffering from mitochondrial depl...
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Seesaw Children
Although when parents separate it is the end of their relationship on one level they still remain co...
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Aside from the day job…
Whitehead Monckton positions itself as the Kent Law Firm and it follows that our lawyers not only ar...
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Supreme Court ends pension discrimination for same sex couples
In a recent case, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled an exemption which companies could claim which...
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Who has the right to decide on the welfare of a sick child?
The distressing case of Charlie Gard recently put the spotlight on a question that all parents want ...
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Doctor Foster: protecting children when you separate
So, do you want the bad news first? The plot of Dr Foster has demonstrated how intelligent people ca...
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Child Contact Where Domestic Abuse is Alleged: Recent Changes
Domestic abuse is a serious social problem. It is perpetrated both by and against men and wome...
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Family finances make divorce negotiations increasingly complex
New statistics show a rise in the rate of divorce. As these cases are played out in the family...
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Exploring Equality in Relationships
How do couples commit in the 21st Century? It is heartening to read from Theresa May at the Conserv...
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New Divorce Petition: For better or for worse
The aim of the new online divorce petition is to make it more user friendly. The idea behind t...
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New Year New You: How to approach ‘Divorce Day’
It is well known that many family lawyers experience a large volume of enquiries from separating cou...
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Let’s Stick Together?
Last month our family team reported on Tini and Hugh Owens. Mrs Owens sought a divorce from he...
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How Important is a Cohabitation Agreement
With the latest winners of Love Island, Jack and Dani, recently announcing that they have bought a f...
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Civil partnership or cohabit – which is better?
Not everyone wants to get married in a church or registry office.
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Civil Partnerships
After decades of campaigning December 2005 saw the enactment of the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 whic...
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Your rights as a step-parent after a divorce
If you’re a recently divorced step-parent and are wondering what rights you have in regard to ...
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Access Disputes – how to settle your differences without going to court
Whether you are married, in a civil partnership or just living together, splitting up can be an emot...
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Cohabitant agreements – giving unmarried couples rights
It’s an unfair fact of life, but in the eyes of the law a married couple has far more protecti...
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Would you Marry at First Sight?
Leading family lawyers in the country subscribe to the idea that the UK needs a ‘no fault divo...
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Common law myths – Your rights as an unmarried couple
In today’s society, it’s increasingly common for couples to live together as ‘comm...
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Keep Christmas for the children
Christmas celebrations for children are too often marked by family divisions when relationships brea...
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Can pre-nups agreements help to save your marriage?
Wedding season is just around the corner, and has an extra buzz thanks to the brace of royal wedding...
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Spousal maintenance – where are we now?
How much spousal maintenance should be paid and for how long is often a point of contention between ...
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Civil Partnership – an Update
After decades of campaigning December 2005 saw the enactment of the Civil Partnerships Act 2004 whic...
