What is a Prohibited Steps Order?
A Prohibited Steps Order is a legally binding order that prohibits someone, typically a parent, to stop another parent from making decisions about their children/child. A Prohibited Steps Order can stop a parent from exercising their parental responsibility. What can a Prohibited Steps Order prevent from happening? As mentioned above, Prohibited Steps Orders can be…
Can I include my pet in my prenuptial agreement?
Prenuptial agreements give couples the option to plan, honestly discuss and start their marriage on the right foot. See it this way: you can get the finances and arrangements out of the way so you can focus on your marriage. Prenuptial agreements usually focus on marital and community properties, assigning debts to the appropriate spouse,…
Outdoor civil weddings to be legal from next month
From July 1st, couples will be able to legally be married outdoors. Under current laws, legal weddings or civil partnership ceremonies must take place in an approved premise such as a hotel and an approved room or permanent structure for the couple to say their vows. But from next month, couples will be able to have…
The Surrogates: Is surrogacy legal in the UK?
Have you watched the latest BBC documentary The Surrogates about the world of surrogacy in the UK? The documentary explores the highs and lows of surrogacy through the lives of five women and the future parents. If you have watched the documentary you might have been wondering about the laws surrounding surrogacy. The legal aspect of surrogacy…
What is conservatorship and what is the #FreeBritney movement?
Whether you are a fan of Britney Spears or not, you probably have heard about the #FreeBritney movement that has been trending over the past few weeks. The #FreeBritney campaign started in 2009 due to the restrictions of her legal conservatorship arrangement, and the singer has been living under complex legal arrangements since then. The lengthy legal dispute has…
Child arrangements during a pandemic: Holiday season
The festive season is an important time for families and especially for young children, it is a magical time of the year. Usually, when children are off on their Christmas break, arrangements between parents can be emotional and difficult to plan, but this year the pandemic and the government’s measures have created even more uncertainty…
How can I end my civil partnership? The basics
Unfortunately, relationships don’t always work out and dissolving your civil partnership can be the best choice for you and your family. In the UK, couples can end their civil partnership by asking the court for a dissolution order, but only if their civil partnership lasted for at least one year. A dissolution order is a court…
Update: No-fault divorce bill backed by MPs
In April 2019, the UK government announced it will introduce legislation to overhaul the divorce system and that a new no-fault divorce law will be brought into force. The Divorce, Separation and Dissolution Bill came to a standstill a few times in 2019 but it eventually passed two readings in the Commons and the committee stage. On…
Child arrangements during a pandemic
On March 23rd every person in the UK was asked to help fight COVID-19 and stay at home in order to support the NHS and save lives. The government’s unprecedented measures have created uncertainty for separated families and many of our clients have been worried that they may be breaking the court orders if they and…
Parental responsibility: the basics
Parenthood comes with a range of parental rights and responsibilities: all parents have the responsibility to protect and care for their children. Some responsibilities might seem obvious, such as providing for your child’s education, naming your child and making sure your child is financially supported. But parental responsibility is backed up by law, and there…