Matrimonial and Family Law

It is an unfortunate fact of life that not all marriages are successful. When a relationship breaks down, it is not unusual for one or both parties to seek to dissolve the marriage or to separate. Important questions may arise about where the children will live and how and when the parties will see them.

The ownership of the assets of the family, including the matrimonial home and any pensions has to be decided between the parties to the marriage and arrangements frequently have to be made for the continuing financial support of the children.

Everyone’s circumstances differ and many factors have to be considered in deciding how questions of residence and contact, maintenance and property are to be determined.

We will advise you on welfare benefits, family protection, domestic violence and injunctions, wardship, adoption, children and care proceedings and in appropriate cases can refer you to mediators trained to assist in amicable settlement.

We offer advice to parties involved in the break up of unmarried relationships where different rules and considerations often apply.

Many clients wishing to take proceedings in matrimonial or child cases will be eligible for Public Funding and we can assist in completing the necessary forms of application for a Public Funding Certificate.

We offer you informed advice, sympathetically, on family problems. We understand the stress and unhappiness such difficulties can bring and we will explain in straightforward terms how the law can help. Consult with us even if you only want general advice on how you stand. We will talk things over, explain the courses open to you and discuss the implications and cost.

We subscribe to the code of practice recommended by the Resolution - first for family law and the Law Society family law protocol, whose philosophy favours a conciliatory approach to this area of the Law in order to promote better relations between the people involved and a fair settlement.

Do not forget that we offer a free initial diagnostic interview. It is also the case that you may be entitled to the benefit of the Legal Advice and Assistance Scheme which is run by the Community Legal Service and which is more commonly known as the ‘Legal Help form’ scheme.