by Sheata KarimCommunicating separation and divorce to children
Telling your children that you are planning to divorce can be daunting. Although it is never going to be easy to explain to a child of any age that their parents are separating, there are ways to break the news which will ensure your children feel safe and supported throughout the divorce process. How you explain your divorce will largely depend on the age of your children While children are...
by Haroop AhluwaliaA new chapter: why divorce can be a blessing in disguise
There is no shying away from the fact that a divorce can be a very stressful and painful experience. Coming to an agreement about everything, from who will keep the family home to how child arrangements will work, can take a great deal of time and energy. While the divorce process can take its toll, there are also some positive changes which can result from a divorce. You are now in control of...
by Neil Scott GrahamThe Brangelina breakdown – can claims of domestic violence compromise your fight for child contact?
Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt hit the headlines again last week, when Jolie reportedly sought to disqualify a judge from their divorce case, following his alleged decision to refuse to allow their children to testify with regards to their “custody fate”. In her court filing, Jolie cited a California courts code which states that if a child over 14 years old wants to testify, they should be...
by Haroop AhluwaliaMy wife went vegan. Who decides our children’s food choices?
When a relationship breaks down and there are children involved, it is not only the issue of who the children will live with which can cause disputes. Parents also find themselves in discussions about everything from the school or nursery a child should attend to the type of diet they should follow.If both parents have parental responsibility for the child and disagree on these kinds...
by Sheata KarimThe process after the divorce process: the stages of grief following a divorce
Going through a relationship break-up can take its toll, both emotionally and financially. Feelings of grief and loss are common and these don’t just go away once you have received your Decree Absolute.Grief is a very personal processThere is no set timetable that you will follow when your relationship comes to an end. You may feel tearful or numb. You may feel very angry....
by Haroop AhluwaliaOccupation Orders and when they are needed
Occupation Orders enable the court to determine which party will remain in the family home following the breakdown of a relationship. They are generally only made in specific and usually serious circumstances.What are Occupation Orders?An Occupation Order is a type of court order which enforces a person’s right to reside in a property.Occupation Orders can also be...
by Neil Scott GrahamFrom Bill to Bezos – Behind the scenes on billionaire divorces
When news of the divorce of Bill and Melinda Gates broke a few days ago, shock that the 27-year marriage was coming to an end meant that it made headlines around the globe.Now, as the dust begins to settle, we take a look at what a divorce settlement involving the fourth richest man in the world may look like.How will the couple’s $130 billion be divided?With assets including a...
by Sheata KarimCohabitation: the best way to test a relationship?
According to government figures, the number of couples opting to live together without getting married or entering into a civil partnership increased by 137% in the 24 years between 1996 and 2020.Why such a spike in cohabitation over the last two decades or so? Changing attitudes in society over couples living together before (or instead of) getting married has surely played a large part,...
by Neil Scott GrahamShould I go into a marriage preparing for divorce? Preparing prenups
Prenuptial agreements – known as prenups for short – have traditionally been shied away from by couples in the UK. Now, that is changing, with more and more people opting to put a prenup in place before the big day.Are prenups really, as their reputation would have us believe, the antithesis of romance? And are prenuptial agreements actually legally binding anyway? We take a...
by Jenny