Most divorced parents are content to agree that their child should spend Father’s Day with their Father and Mother’s Day with their mother; even if you don’t get on with your ex, you should be allowing your child to celebrate with them! Here are a few tips for days such as these:

1. Talk to your child about the upcoming day and get them excited about Father’s/Mother’s day! Children should be happy on these days, it’s a day of celebration and appreciation for their mother/father.
2. Don’t tell your child that “Mummy/Daddy are going to miss you” when they leave with the other parent, as this could make them feel guilty about leaving.
3. Take your child to buy their other parent a present or card, put your private feelings aside because this is teaching your children how to be caring and respectful.  
4. Lastly, make some plans for yourself on that day so that you’re not feeling lonely or down.

If you are unable to reach amicable agreements with your ex in relation to child arrangements, take advantage of our FREE initial meeting; call us today on 01246 555 610 to book in.

Whilst it is a cliché, it is also true that January sees an annual surge in the numbers of new clients approaching family law firms about separation or divorce. The "New Year, new me" attitude often takes over after a tense holiday period during which tensions and differences have intensified due to couples spending more time together and possibly realising that they really have come to an impasse.

Many couples wait until after Christmas and the New Year before initiating a separation, leading to an increase of inquiries on the first working Monday of January, dubbed ‘Divorce Day’ and for the rest of the month as well. One in five married couples consider separating from their partner after staying together over the festive period.

Here at Vines Legal, we provide a free initial consultation to talk through your problems and help you find a solution. Call us on 01246 555610 to make an appointment.

Christmas can be a very stressful time of year and this can often amplify ongoing issues in a relationship. If the strain on you as a couple is only getting worse, then it may be time for you to consider a separation or divorce.

If a breakup is unwanted, here are a few tops for couples to survive the holiday season together:

1) Think long term – the Christmas holiday only lasts a couple of weeks and all the stress of this holiday is normally temporary.

2) Keep in close contact with others – don’t be smothered by your partner, make sure you spend time with others.

3) Talk to your partner – all issues around the holidays can cause stress e.g. the in-laws and extended families can put extra stress on the relationship and talking this through with your partner.

If these tips do not help and the stress of Christmas continues past the holiday, then we are here to offer you advice. Vines Legal provide a free initial consultation to talk through your problems and help you find a solution. Call us on 01246 555610 to make an appointment.

Top 8 Bizarre Divorce Settlements: Claire Clark. Vines Legal, Chesterfield.

We know that divorce can be painful. The issue of fairly dividing up finances and assets can be difficult and fractious. Vines legal have been scouring the archives to bring you some of the more interesting divorce settlements.

1. The Divorce of Charles and Diana

When Charles and Diana divorced in 1996, Diana lost the right to be called ‘Her Royal Highness’ but retained the right to live in Kensington Palace and entertain at St James’ Palace, with the Queen’s permission of course! And although she lost various military titles, she did get a settlement of around £15,000,000.  In today's world, that figure seems very small. 

2. The Divorce of Georges Simenon

Belgian author Georges Simenon, had an odd request for his ex-wife during their divorce proceedings in 1949; they agreed that she would receive a substantial amount in maintenance as long as she agreed to live within 6 miles of her ex at all times so he could always see his children.  

It's good to see that in an age when we celebrity divorce makes high profile news with huge and sometimes harsh settlements, an amicable agreement can still be reached when both parties are willing to compromise.

3. Getting your ex’s goat

Literally. Australian Steve Killeen got his ex-wife’s pet goat in his divorce settlement, which he takes for long walks through Sidney every day.

4. 50:50 Split

When a Cambodian couple’s relationship broke down, the husband took the dividing of the assets a little too literally and cut their house in half. He left his soon-to-be ex-wife’s half standing, but dismantled his half, taking the materials to his parents’ house. Talk about 'Splitting up'.

5. Economist, Robert Lucas & Scientist Albert Einstein

Robert Lucas, the winner of 1995 Economics Nobel Prize, had to share his winnings with his ex-wife. Worse still, Albert Einstein’s ex-wife, Mileva Maric, was rewarded all of his prize money from his 1921 win.

6. The Divorce of Dr Batista

A Long Island doctor made a bizarre request during his divorce proceedings; he wanted ex-wife, Dawnell, to either return the kidney he had given her or for her to pay him compensation of $1.5 million! Of course, he didn’t get either as a body organ is considered a gift!

7. David Hasselhoff - The Hoff

In his 2008 divorce settlement with ex-wife, Pamela, David Hasselhoff was awarded full possession of both nickname “The Hoff” and catchphrase “Don’t Hassle the Hoff”.

8. Marvin Gaye Sings Farewell

When Marvin Gaye couldn’t pay his ex-wife the maintenance she was awarded, it was decided that he would make a new record and give all the royalties from it to her. It might have been a good plan if the record hadn’t been such a flop!

Need Help with Your Divorce?

If you're considering getting divorced, speak to us at Vines Legal.

We can assist you at every stage and will help guide you through what can be a confusing and distressing time. We provide one to one support when you need it and will explain all options in full from the outset. We will work hard to provide you with the best possible outcome. Contact us

Vines Legal mare expert divorce solicitors Here are some true and false questions to help you understand more about adultery in divorce cases.

True or false – if adultery is used to prove that the marriage has irretrievably broken down then it can only be used between a husband and wife?

 TRUE – on the current legal definition there can be no adultery between 2 women or 2 men. Many believe a change in the law is needed on this.

True or false – if you file for divorce because of your partners' adultery then you are entitled to a larger settlement?

 FALSE – Adultery is not viewed by the court as conduct which would entitle the victim to a larger settlement. Many people feel this is unfair.

True or false – the best thing to do is name the other party or on the divorce petition?

 FALSE - You may desperately want to do this and publicly name and shame the other person. However, it is not a legal requirement. If your spouse has admitted to adultery, there is no need to name the third party. Doing so may make you feel better but it will complicate matters and increase costs all round.

Let us Advise You

If you need any advice on divorce then we offer a FREE initial meeting, call us on 01246 555610 to book in today

Divorce or separation is a huge change for couples and children. The impact of this can greatly affect the family in all areas of life, at work, home or at school. Vines Legal are expert divorce solicitors and can help you to navigate this difficult time.

Here are some tips for surviving divorce:

• Allow yourself to feel all the emotions that come with divorce – cry if you need to, be alone when you need to and let yourself be angry. Just try to not do these in front of your children as this can be distressing for them.
• Talk to people – talk to your family and friends, tell them how you feel and ask for help if you need it! Also, try talking to other divorcees, they can help give personal advice and share their experience.
• Learn that there are things you can control and things you can’t – you can’t control how your ex-partner feels about you but you can control how to make yourself feel good.
• Minimize contact with your ex-partner – this is the time to figure out how to live without them and not depend on them. Spend more time with friends and family and people who make you feel happy and positive.

We hope these tips helped and just remember to be positive, even in this difficult time.

If you need any advice on divorce then we offer a FREE initial meeting, call us on 01246 555610 to book in today!

Prenuptial Agreements are made for lots of reasons. They can help couples define clear boundaries about property and finances. The media tends to report on the sensational prenups of the rich and famous, but anyone can have a prenuptial agreement, and we can help you with yours.

Here are some of the more interesting clauses from some celebrity Prenuptial Agreements:

Justin Timberlake & Jessica Biel

In this prenuptial agreement, it says that if Justin cheats on Jessica, then he will have to give her $500,000!

Kim Kardashian & Kanye West

Kanye included a clause that says Kim’s mother is not allowed to make decisions that affect the couple’s careers. If they get divorced, Kim gets to keep her wedding ring along with all other gifts Kanye gifted to her. She will receive $1 million for every year she is married to Kanye and she gets to keep her income from her own career decisions.

Mark Zuckerberg and Priscilla Chan

This pre-nup isn’t about money like most celebrity pre-nups. Theirs makes sure that Priscilla gets 100 minutes of time alone with Mark and a date night each week. During their time together, neither Chan nor Zuckerberg is allowed on Facebook.

Lamar Odom and Khloe Kardashian

Khloe and Lamar had a pre-nup which left her with $2 million and more. This was for the 4 years they were married ($500,000 for each year). She also gets court side seats to all of the Lakers games, a new car every time the lease is up, a $5,000 a month shopping allowance and $1,000 a month for all of her beauty care. She also got the matrimonial house!

Jessica Simpson and Tony Romo

Although this couple never got married, a pre-nup was in the plans. Tony had the nerve to make a clause that would force Jessica to give him $500,000 for every pound she gained over 135 pounds. 

Of course the above is the exception rather than the norm and these are extreme examples. Pre-Nuptial Agreements are gaining increasing validity and recognition in this country. Please contact us on 01246 555610 for a FREE initial meeting if this is of interest.

Meeting a family solicitor for the first time can be a big deal. When preparing for the initial consultation, there are a few “Dos and Don’ts” that will make it a lot less stressful for you, resulting in a more constructive meeting for both you and your solicitor. Here are some of our suggested Dos and Dont’s:

DO

1. Bring a family member or friend with you that will make you feel comfortable and support you. This can be a challenging time for you and we completely understand if you bring along a friend or family member for emotional support and another pair of ears.

2. Come prepared with all necessary details and facts, we will need information relating to you and your relationship, such as dates of birth, the date of your marriage and the date of your separation. We will also need information relating to property, pensions and financial accounts. Having as much information as possible will help us to give you more specific advice.

3. Make a list of questions to ask. No question is a stupid question. We are here to help you.

DON’T

1. Turn up to the appointment late. Turning up late may result in a shorter time and you may not get the opportunity to discuss everything.

2. Withhold information, even if it is embarrassing. We need to know the full information to provide you with the appropriate advice. Withholding this will only make things more difficult for us to do our jobs.

3. Equally, by the same token do not exaggerate information as this will also make it harder for us to do our jobs. We need honest answers to be able to give you the best advice and representation.

Get in Touch
If you need any advice, we offer a FREE initial meeting, Click here to book in today!

Engaging a family Solicitor may be necessary if your children are in danger. In domestic abuse and addiction situations, you may try to protect your children from what is really happening by playing it down or not talking about it.

The truth is that most children are aware of the abuse. As many as 90% of children are in the same room or in the next room when domestic abuse occurs. According to www.domesticviolencelondon.nhs.uk, in households where there is ongoing domestic violence, 50% of children are also being directly abused by the same person.

Understandably people who are victims of this abuse hope it will stop and want to try to keep the peace. It is important however to bear in mind that continuing to remain in an abusive situation can result in a significant risk for yourself and any children involved.

Contact your Family Solicitor

Remedies available to you could be to involve the police and/or getting the protection of the legal system. This is where a solicitor can help. You should tell your solicitor if the other party has threatened you, hurt you physically or sexually, controlled or isolated you or has behaved in an emotionally abusive way towards you.

In an event where the police are unable to help then your solicitor will be able to advise you about getting an injunction, which would prevent further abuse or remove the other party from your home.

Your solicitor can also advise you about making arrangements for your children and the other party spending time together that do not expose either you or the children to these risks.

Get in touch with vines legal today for further advice.

If you need any advice then we offer a FREE initial meeting, call us on 01246 555610 to book in today!

Here at Vines Legal we always try to help our customers in every way possible.  One way we can help you is by settling some of the rumours and myths that surround divorce.  Vines Legal are expert family solicitors and have a wealth of knowledge on all legal matters relating to the family and divorce.
True or False?

A Decree Absolute (or final divorce decree) means that you can’t claim financially against your ex husband or wife.

FALSE!! The Decree Absolute dissolves the marriage, it does not prevent either party claiming financially against the other provided they don’t remarry.

There is no time limit in respect of making a financial claim against an ex-spouse, even after the final order of the divorce (Decree Absolute) has been granted. Even once you have the final order of the divorce – the Decree Absolute – it is still open for either of you to make a financial claim, no matter how many years may have passed since your divorce.

It should be noted, however, that the court will look at the length of time that has elapsed when considering a claim.

It is essential that clients sort out their financial affairs during their divorce to avoid future claims and unpleasant surprises.

If you need any advice for divorce or financial issues then we offer a FREE initial meeting, call us on 01246 555 610  to book in today!