Bridget Garrood – Senior Consultant Solicitor – Divorce/ Finance/ LGBT+ Specialist
From a legal point of view living together is very different from being married.
When a legal marriage ends, the court is able to make decisions to ensure that there are fair arrangements for assets/savings/pensions/properties and for income (including the payment of maintenance).
There is a lot about divorce on this website.
The legal position of those who live together outside of legal marriage is very different. Those who live together outside of marriage (Cohabitants) can still refer to themselves being common-law husbands and wives. This is not a legal status.
When cohabitants separate – the law can be very harsh when deciding what obligations one can have to the other.
This is particularly the case if the couple plan to buy a house together or to have children together or they intend to rely on the future pension prospects of one of the couple from both – or if one wishes to rely in any way on the possibility that the other would provide them with financial assistance in the future including if they separate.
Over the years we have seen individuals getting into all sorts of difficulty by not taking legal advice prior to cohabitation and not taking necessary steps to protect themselves.
Dividing assets. It is relatively rare for a financial remedies case involving small or modest assets to be reported. However, a report of the judgment in such a case was published last week, it contains lessons for all divorcing couples
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The family court system has been under increasing pressure for years, suffering from rising caseloads, closing courts and lack of resources, amongst other problems. Is the court system broken?
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Founder and MD Ian Walker won in the Sole Practitioner of the Year category at The Law Society Awards and the firm were highly commended in the Excellence in Practice Management category.
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This week is National Inclusion Week which is designed to celebrate everyday inclusion in all of it's forms. This year's theme is based on unity so some of our team got together to create a video
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Ian Walker Family Law and Mediation Solicitors are thrilled to have won two awards at the Devon and Somerset Law Society Legal Awards this month. Kim Stradling, leading child law expert & founder, Mediator and Solicitor Ian Walker also won
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Misuse of illegal drugs is sadly an issue that is commonly raised in disputes between parents over arrangements for their children. But what can you do if you suspect that the other parent is taking drugs?
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The University of Manchester published a report analysing data on pensions and divorce. Husbands have substantially more private pension wealth than wives. Wives don’t have to lose out on pensions when they divorce.
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HM Courts and Tribunals Service (‘HMCTS’), which is responsible for the administration of the courts in England and Wales, has announced that as from today, 13th September, lawyers acting for clients in divorce proceedings must use the
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We are recruiting – Receptionist/Legal Secretary/Administrator. We are an award winning specialist Family Law Solicitors Practice; Modern Law Boutique Practice (11+ Employees) 2020.
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The Government has indicated that it intends to go ahead with court fee increases, despite widespread opposition to the move. The decision comes in response to a consultation carried out by the Ministry of Justice
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It has been reported that Plymouth is one of the top ten cities in the country for people searching the internet for information on divorce. The report suggests that Plymouth, where one of our offices is located, may be a ‘divorce hotspot’.
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The shortlist and winners have been chosen by a judging panel made up of the heads of the Family Law Bar Association, Resolution and the Association of Lawyers for Children, along with Family Law editors and publishing executives.
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