Wrong!!

A divorce by itself does not mean that an ex-spouse cannot make a financial claim against the other party provided he/she has not remarried before making the claim. The key to preventing such a claim, post-divorce, is to obtain a financial clean break from the Court. This should be done at the time of the divorce, if at all possible. If the parties agree then this can be done in the form of a Consent Order, otherwise the Court can impose a clean break order upon the parties, if it is considered appropriate to do so.

It is understandable that people who are going through the trauma of separation and divorce want to breathe a sigh of relief when they get their Decree Absolute and think to themselves “I’ll just leave the finances for a bit” if there is nothing immediate, like a house or pension, to sort out. However, be warned, the Supreme Court recently allowed an ex-wife to claim against her millionaire ex-husband some 23 years after divorce. In that case neither party sought a clean break at the time of the divorce meaning that the ex-wife could pursue her claim, despite the long period of time that had elapsed. In that case the Court must still decide on the level of the ex-wife’s financial award (which will doubtless take into account the delay), however the cost, stress and aggravation for all concerned is no doubt taking its toll and could have been prevented.

So the clear message from this is act now, belt and braces, then move on with confidence that your affairs are in order.

If you are currently going through a divorce or are thinking about a separation, Vines Legal are here to help. Please contact us today on 01246 555 610 to take advantage of our free 30 minute consultation with one our experienced legal professionals.  

At present a pre-nuptial agreement is not legally binding. However, the attitude of the Court towards them has changed considerably over the years; more weight is now being given to them and in light of this it is becoming more common for people to enter into such an agreement.

In trying to determine a division of the matrimonial assets the Court's usual starting point for such a division is 50:50 unless there are good reasons to depart from this equal split.

We would all like to think that when we marry it is for the long haul and that we will remain together “til death us do part” however the reality of marriage breakdown is ever increasing.

Many people entering into a marriage already have assets in their own name which they would wish to protect in the event of a marriage breakdown – these could include a property, business assets, investments, pension provision and even any future inheritance.

On divorce, the Court has extensive powers to potentially distribute all of your assets including pre-marital assets, those which are inherited or held in trust. This can make the Court process uncertain, stressful and expensive.

If challenged, a pre-nuptial agreement is more likely to be upheld if it was properly made and entered into without any undue influence and will not lead to one parties’ hardship.

Before entering into a pre-nuptial agreement both parties should seek independent legal advice from a family lawyer. The Court will not uphold an agreement which it sees is unfair to one of the parties.

If you are considering a pre-nuptial agreement and would like further information please contact Vines Legal today on 01246 555 610 to speak with one of our qualified and experienced professionals.

Under the Children and Families Act 2014 a referral to mediation in family disputes is compulsory in all bar the most exceptional of cases. The principle behind mediation is of course sound- a more amicable and cheaper way of resolving disputes which should be promoted in every case. However, should it be compulsory in every case as the new law states before an application can be filed at Court?

Consider this scenario:

Father persistently denied by Mother the opportunity to see his children. Mother cancels the landline and removes the eldest child’s mobile phone to stop any form of communication with Father. No reason or explanation is given by Mother other than she wants nothing to do with Father either for herself or for the children. It is clear Father needs to apply for a defined Court Order setting out the time the children should spend with him. As required by the new law a referral to mediation is made. Father attends a MIAM (Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting). Time ticks by as Mother takes nearly 2 weeks to reply to the mediator as to whether she wishes to engage in the process, all the while the children are still not able to see or speak to their Father. Mother then elects not to participate. Should a referral to mediation have been compulsory in this case or was it used by Mother as a means of delaying the process further and making things more difficult for Father?

It is cases like this that raise the question of whether a compulsory referral to mediation is right in all cases. Time will tell whether any changes are made to this.

At Vines Legal we offer a free initial consultation covering all aspects of Matrimonial and Family Law. Please call us on 01246 555 610 for a no obligation chat.

As the festive season approaches and we are reminded daily in the shops, on television and on the radio that Christmas is just around the corner- what is your reaction to it?

The traditional presentation of Christmas is that of family being together and a time of great happiness. Well…. what if you’re not together as a family? This could be due to marital separation or relationship breakdown. What if you’re not sure whether you’re going to see your children on Christmas Day to open their presents or enjoy a family meal? Some people struggle to watch the adverts on television during the run up to Christmas that advertise childrens’ toys because the pain of them being separated from their children is too great and their visiting arrangements with the children over Christmas are unresolved.

Due to this and many other reasons the Christmas period can be tough and a period of intolerable pressure for many and not least for the children of families affected.

At Vines Legal we offer a free initial consultation covering all aspects of Matrimonial and Family Law. Call us on 01246 555 610 to arrange a no obligation chat.

As the Children and Families Act 2014 continues to bed in it may be that there are more changes to family law practice and procedure on the horizon. A top family Judge has urged further radical reform of the Family Courts. One area of family practice under review is divorce law which has already seen some quite big changes under the Children and Families Act 2014. It has been suggested that “fault” based grounds (adultery and unreasonable behaviour) might be removed in favour of “irretrievable breakdown” as the sole ground. This would be with a view to trying to take the acrimony out of the process and make it simpler for people. There has also been some discussion as to whether the divorce process should be removed from the Courts and given to Registrars in a Registry Office.

Whilst any attempt to remove some of the distress and acrimony of the divorce process should be encouraged it is questionable to what extent, in reality, people will benefit from this. One school of thought has raised concern that the divorce process could be made too easy and just another thing to cross off the shopping list. A passing of the divorce process to a Registrar would also raise questions and concerns as to what recourse people would have to sorting out their financial issues since currently, in many cases, finances are sorted out under the umbrella of the divorce proceedings where a Judge is able to decide when the parties are unable to agree.

Please contact us on 01246 555 610 if you wish to discuss a family problem. We offer a free initial 30 minute consultation.

The new Single Family Court and the Children and Families Act 2014 has now come into force. One hot topic which everyone is talking about is the introduction of compulsory mediation information and assessment meetings (MIAMs).

Under the new rules, you don’t have to ‘mediate’ but you do have to attend a MIAM to decide whether or not this is the best and most appropriate route for you to take if you are having a dispute with regard to children. After attending this meeting, if mediation is not for you, you may proceed down the Court route.

The MIAM therefore is compulsory, mediation is not.

If your dispute does end up in the Court arena you will be required to evidence the fact that you have attended a MIAM. Despite MIAMs being compulsory for the majority of people there are a few exceptions to this rule.

The following are some of the exceptions:-

1. If there has been, or is a risk of, domestic violence.
2. The whereabouts of one party is unknown.
3. The application is made without notice to the other party.
4. There is a significant risk to the life, liberty or physical safety of one party.
5. Having spoken to three mediators in a 15 mile radius, none is able to provide a MIAM within 15 days

If you do not fall under any of the exemptions then you will need to attend a MIAM. At this meeting the Mediator will then assist with determining whether or not Mediation is appropriate.

If you are currently involved in a dispute with your ex in regard to the children then please contact Vines Legal today on 01246 555 610 to speak with one of our qualified and experienced professionals.

Divorce is very emotional and it is often hard to separate that emotion from rational thought. At all times it is always best to try and avoid making any, potentially life changing, financial decisions in the heat of the moment. How the matrimonial assets are divided or what percentage is agreed upon can have a direct impact on your financial stability which, in turn, could affect the rest of your life. So take a minute to let rational thought rule your head rather than letting emotions lead the way.

It is always hard to come to terms with the breakdown of a marriage, and there will be a whole range of emotions in play. It is common to see many people wishing for this ‘to just be over’, or ‘that it is their fault so they will let him/her have the house’. These are very common thoughts and are often the most dangerous. These decisions are not made with any rational aforethought – they are emotion led which, in the Family Court arena, is not the way to deal with a financial division.

At Vines Legal, we would suggest that you think about things properly before making any final decisions and it is important to discuss your options through with a trained and qualified professional in the first instance. Everyone needs time to adjust to the shock, change or stress of a separation and obtaining proper advice, as opposed to what you hear from friends, neighbours, locals in the pub etc.., is the first step to making a sensible, fair and reasonable decision.

If you are currently thinking of separating or you are in the process of issuing a Divorce Petition, Vines Legal can help to make the process just that bit easier for you. Please contact us today on 01246 555 610 to take advantage of our free 30 minute consultation with one our experienced legal professionals.

Most people really don’t want to discuss their relationship problems with those they see and interact with daily; but it really can help.

The old mantra of a problem shared is a problem halved springs to mind and in this circumstance making sure your colleagues and your employer are aware really does help in some way to make the whole divorce process that little bit easier.

Those who scan the internet regularly will undoubtedly be aware of the relationship breakdown of Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin, who made their announcement on Gwyneth’s popular website, Goop. The decision to make the announcement in the public domain really isn’t as scary as most would think. The fact that people are aware of what is going on helps to give you the support needed from family and friends.

Most people hate the thought of sharing their private relationship news with other people, but it is more than likely that most of us have either been there ourselves or we know someone that has. Having a support network around you is really important and will help you through the entire process. It is therefore much better to get talking about what is happening than keeping it all bottled up – which seems to be the British way of doing things!

If you are currently going through a divorce or are thinking about a separation, Vines Legal are here to help. Please contact us today on 01246 555 610 to take advantage of our free 30 minute consultation with one our experienced legal professionals.

Nearly half of all marriages end in divorce and often children are stuck in the middle.

It’s a hard time for adults going through divorce but also even harder sometimes for children who don’t understand why their parents are acting differently and that they have no control over what happens, it can often leave children feeling scared, sad, confused or angry.

Government research has shown that kids whose parents divorce when they are 7 or older find it harder to trust people and make friends.

Talking to your children and letting them know that you both love them can always reassure your child and help them to understand that this is not going to change the way you both are with them.  Working together for your child is so important and there are various resources online with information regarding how to deal with children through a divorce.

We have various information on our website and those that have decided that there is no other option than divorce can find out how we can help at vineslegal.co.uk or by contacting us on 01246 555 610.

Recent polls show that many couples choose to get divorced after a home renovation.

Home improvement and design information website, Houzz.com, recently sent a survey out to couples asking about their experiences with home renovations.  More than 50% of those surveyed said that the renovation process caused a significant amount of stress in their marriages and 12% of those couples said that the stress of renovation caused them to consider or pursue divorce or separation.

Experts recommend that any couples that are thinking about renovations to their home should consider setting aside rooms for each of them to decorate individually.  This could take some of the stress out of the renovation process so that each person can have input into their home and decorate in the way they feel comfortable.

Of course, no matter what some couples do to prevent discord, their efforts are unsuccessful and splits occur. It is also important to remember that it is possible to live happily alone.

If there are any concerns or questions about divorce and you would like expert help, please give us a call on 01246 555 610.