Agreeing Consent Orders and D81 forms without going to court In family finances, the best outcome is often the one you can live with and, crucially, the one that keeps you out of court. When separating couples reach a financial agreement, the pathway to making it legally binding and enforceable usually involves two key documents:…
Divorce, finances and child arrangements come with unfamiliar legal language. This guide explains common family law terms, from financial remedy to parental responsibility.
A simple guide for parents and carers If drug or alcohol use is raised during Children Act proceedings, the Family Court may ask for hair-strand testing. This can feel worrying, but the test is simply one way of giving the court independent information to help it make decisions about your child’s welfare and safety. A…
How Much Does a Divorce Cost in Oxford? This article explains the main costs involved in getting divorced in Oxford. From the court fee to legal support, financial orders and child arrangements. The Court Fee The standard court fee for a divorce application in England and Wales is £612. This is the fee paid to…
One of the first questions people ask us is “How much is this going to cost me?” And the honest answer is: it depends on how you choose to pay for your legal advice. At Family First, we offer both pay-as-you-go and fixed-fee family law services. They both work. But they work differently, and the right choice depends…
How to Prepare for Family Court so the other side doesn’t bully you. Family Court can feel like the unknown and particularly intimidating where you have no prior experience of court. This can feel overwhelming when you are already dealing with the stress and emotions of the relationship/ family breakdown, and even more so when…
AI and Family Law – What You Should Know When you’re facing a family law issue, the first thing most people do is turn to the internet. It’s fast, it’s free, and it feels like a safe way to get information. These days, we are in the meteoric rise of AI and there is no…
In this video Ursula Rice presents a satirical tirade born out of the frustration of dozens of encounters with people who have approached their divorce in an unnecessarily combative manner, only to empty their own pockets into those of their lawyers.
This video explains how early neutral evaluation (ENE) can assist you facing family law disputes. It describes real-world applications for these tools in resolving family law matters outside court.
This video explains how you can effectively combine mediation with legal support when navigating family law issues like separation, divorce, finances, and child arrangements.
Before April 2022, Bury St Edmunds was the regional divorce centre for the South East of England, handling all paper-based fault divorces. Here’s what to do if your divorce is stuck there…
There are various areas where you might need enforcement in family financial remedy proceedings. In this video Ursula Rice explores three examples.
AI is making inroads into almost every aspect of our lives. In this video Ursula Rice explores the ways in which Artificial Intelligence can help you with your family law matters.
When you divorce, maintenance can be your lifeline. How NOT to make a Maintenance Pending Suit Application.
Pensions and Divorce are not as simple as you might expect. Ursula Rice explains what you need to do before you start court proceedings.
In this video Ursula Rice explains the importance of Non Court Dispute Resolution and how it can help you save time and money when resolving your family issue
In this video Ursula Rice explains how you can protect your share of your property using a Deed of Trust – particularly if you and your partner are not married.
In this video, Ursula Rice explains how to get started with Single Solicitor Divorce at Family First.
In this short video, Ursula Rice answers your questions about Police Disclosure in Family Law Proceedings – where should you start, what should you ask for and what should you do when you get it?
In this short video, UK Family Lawyer Ursula Rice discusses Penal Notices – the penalties for missing a Court Deadline or breaching a Court Order.
Holidays with you child are a happy time; a treat for them and for you. Don’t run foul of the law (and your ex-partner) by not considering child abduction laws.
When at the beginning or middle of a divorce it can be difficult see the end of the process. It seems overwhelming and endless. But we promise you that the only way out is through.
You know and I know that those boxes are far too small to explain to a Judge why you need what you need, and what your money is spent on. Here’s where to start.
UK Family Lawyer George Sayers discusses international relocation with children, including costs, traps and an overview of what to watch out for.
More and more people are going to court without a lawyer – and that includes going to a final hearing.
Using unbundled legal services in family law is often an excellent way to afford legal advice from qualified professional when funds are tight.
Pets in a divorce can be a very emotive subject, read on to find out the legal position and some good ideas to help you stay with your faithful friend…
We know a lot of you out there are writing statements for the family court without help. Read on to find out more…
Abusive relationships are not always violent. You know something isn’t right but why does it feel so wrong? Read on to find out if you may be in an abusive relationship and what you can do about it.
Security of tenure is a fancy way of saying “how easy can you be kicked out of where you live”. This blog explains the basics about security of tenure. Read on to find out more!
If your ex has dropped the D- bomb then here is a handy guide to where to start. Do’s and Don’ts to get you through those first few days.
Recently I advised a Deaf client. The enquiry came in by email, was firmed up using the text relay service, and the advice was given with the assistance of a British Sign Language interpreter.
Criticising Cafcass – When you are not happy with your section 7 report do you a) ring your local office a billion times to rant, channelling your inner Kanye West or b) read this article instead? You choose!
Without Notice applications: What they are and what makes it likely to will get one. Parents often ask us for advice on an emergency about a child. But is it that easy to walk into a court and get an urgent order? click to find out more…
Without notice (or as lawyers call them ” ex parte ” ) injunctions are a court application for an order without telling the other side you are going to get it. A family order about children can be applied for this way. The other kind of legal proceedings that have a lot of them are domestic abuse injunction proceedings .This blog post deals with the domestic abuse kind. We will do another post dealing with ex parte family orders later this week.
A new domestic abuse law reached the statute books earlier this year amidst some controversy. Although not yet live, Section 76 Serious Crime Act 2015 soon will be, bringing with it a new crime of “controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship”.
You may have heard of a McKenzie friend and be considering one to support you in court. There’s no doubt that going to court is a daunting experience and having someone you trust there with you can really help.
If you have a court case about a child going on, you probably already know that “wishes and feelings” are part of the checklist of things a judge has to take account of when deciding what to do.
When we are acting for parents in a dispute about a child we are often asked whether our client can recover their costs from the other parent.
We helped to make this (quite long) video on how to fill out your form E. If you are in financial proceedings you may like to take a look.
The recent case of Wyatt v Vince goes like this: counter cultural gentleman uses festival raver knowledge to crack the bad-ass world of commercial electricity generation.
We did a Facebook campaign recently which just said “Prenuptial agreements – why risk your assets?”. While quite a lot of people “Liked” the post, there were also a few negative comments
You are in the middle of an acrimonious split. You have found true love, moved to the next county, gone long term sick off work AND you know for a fact the children would prefer to live with you because you don’t yell at them all day long.
The DRAMA – that’s why family lawyers enjoy their job (sometimes). Nobody walks into our office/ facebook page and tells their story in measured unemotional terms.
Two great song titles in one blog post…(The one an eighties cheesefest that was number one in the charts for ages and the other a Led Zeppelin track. A connection so tenuous it should be part of a pub quiz… ) the Shaduppa Your Face mentality is the ultimate in Communication Breakdown – and a very easy trap to fall into.
One of the most difficult issues the family courts grapple with is called “internal relocation”. This covers cases where one parent is told by another parent the they are moving away with the kids to another town, far away. And moving away with the kids means everything has to change.
If we had a quid for every time we were assured by a parent that “I never say anything bad about my Ex in front of my child” then we would be able to retire in style. Most parents know that after their split, being mean about the other parent is frowned on, but do…
If you are separating from your spouse, you may feel overwhelmed by the worries of money and organising your financial stuff during a divorce. You are not alone in thinking “Where so I start?”
Many people come to see a family lawyer saying, why bother with a consent order to tie up the money and finances in divorce, when we can just knock it out over the kitchen table? i.e. a DIY agreement…
In an earlier blog we talked about disclosure in the family court process, and discussed form E and the necessary requirements to get it sorted. in this blog we talk about questions you may have once you have seen the other party’s form E!
If you are in or contemplating family court proceedings then formal disclosure is a concept you are about to become familiar with. Disclosure in the family court process is the way that the Judge and all parties become familiar with the amount of assets that are available to be distributed. There is a mandatory form for this called Form E and you can find it here. This post sets out some stuff you need to know:
Children Act disputes between parents often start because of the use of alcohol or drugs by one (or both) of the parents. It has probably been an issue for sometime between the parties and such disputes can be characterised by allegation and counter allegation. So how does the legal system handle it?
Paying legal fees is the single biggest worry for people who are thinking about getting advice. So how can you get the advice that you think you need?
When a relationship reaches crisis point, it can be tempting to think, “That’s it, I’m leaving the matrimonial home because I just can’t stand it”. When it comes to “Should I stay or should I go?” You might want to consider these points below first…
In this post we set out ten of the most FAQ and Answers about Parental Responsibility (PR) – the legal concept that links parents with the children and vice versa.
Preparing a statement for the family court can be a daunting process. However, when your statement is put in front of the Judge it should help your case, instead of hindering it, so it is important to get it right. Let’s look at the example of a statement submitted for contact in a Children Act case.
With the rise and rise of the internet, law consumers are able to find a family Solicitor at the click of a button. Our innovative Pay As You Go Law is certainly popular with people all over the country.
Over many years of practice, I have been surprised (startled even) by how many clients assume that I do other kinds of law regularly , like criminal or property work. But I am actually a specialist family lawyer.
Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm
Fill in the form and we'll call you.
Book your initial meeting for £180
