Monday March 30, 2009 at 11:40am
Apparently, Oxford University professor James Murray has successfully devised a calculation which will very accurately predict whether a couple who have just married will divorce or not.His study was of 700 couples and he followed up over 12 years. Astonishingly, his formula was accurate 94% of the time. Of course, though, it would automatically be correct about 50% (or more) anyway as about 50% of couples end up
getting a divorce. But nevetheless the study is suprisingly impressive.It....
Saturday March 28, 2009 at 9:45am
I read today online in MSN News that: Coronation Street star Kym Marsh and former EastEnders actor Jack Ryder were granted a "quickie" divorce after she admitted committing adultery. How the phrase "quickie divorce" causes problems in the real world! It is perfectly understandable that many people want a quick divorce and keep the
cost of divorce down into the bargain. Sadly, media stories such as this cause many people to believe that if you pay enough, or if your lawyer cou....
Friday March 27, 2009 at 11:31am
In the hope of reducing the fees we pay to recruiters I’m taking the direct approach in this blog. We are looking for a
divorce solicitor or legal executive to join our dedicated
family law firm. The candidates must have been qualified as a lawyer for at least 5 years, be experienced in all aspects of divorce and family law and have excellent client service skills. We offer lots of opportunity to take on interesting cases and a flexible approach to working to those who have experience of d....
Tuesday March 24, 2009 at 1:00pm
I’ve produced a Blog or two before about the effect of the recession on
divorce settlements - Money worries increase the divorce rate and Credit crunch causing divorce problems.In them I concentrated on either the divorce itself or the
financial settlement which normally is a reference to the distribution of the investments, housing values and pensions of the couple. But of course there is also maintenance. In some cases that can be a huge monthly sum and in the case of John Cleese, i....
Thursday March 19, 2009 at 10:08am
Statistics show that more people separate during times of financial strain. I have posted before on the subject - Money Worries increase Divorce Rate A typical Woolley & Co client is in the higher middle income bracket and perhaps the couple have put everything into a pension and their house. Maybe they have over-stretched a little to buy the house. At the moment their capital asset values are tumbling and they are struggling, especially with the added fear of redundancy. Peop....
Wednesday March 18, 2009 at 9:08am
It is incredible how often people believe that it is easy to fool a divorce Judge! Bear in mind that many of them have been a divorce solicitor for at least 25 years before they become Judges. We really have seen it all before by then.Honesty and openness is the best approach. It certainly saves legal costs. These are common misconceptions of what can be done to reduce financial settlement claims:"I will put the house in my friends' name""She doesn't know about this bank account&q....
Wednesday March 18, 2009 at 8:47am
I was moving house. I had booked a large lorry with an electric lift at the back. I went to collect it on the day of the move and the hire people asked to see my licence. I had packed it! “You do have a licence, don’t you?” he said. “Yes, of course I do”, said I indignantly.I was asked to produce it when I brought the lorry back. Meanwhile, the boss put his own name and licence on the forms saying that he trusted me and hoped I was honest. When I went back I p....
Monday March 16, 2009 at 9:45am
There is an article, today, in the Mail Online about the relationships between Tess Simpson (a novelist) and her ex-husband Brent Sadler (who was a correspondent with CNN), their children and their respective new spouses.Getting a divorce is one thing, but there are often still children and they will be living in a different situation. A family lawyer can sort out issues such as residence, parental rights (responsiblity) and contact but the people involved do have to work hard to work toget....
Sunday March 15, 2009 at 9:15am
I don't normally read the Agony Aunt sections--honestly! But a headline in the Times Online caught my eye: "My husband read my emails and accused me of infidelity" She is very clear that she has never had an affair. It is actually, quite dangerous to accuse a spouse of adultery especially when it isn't correct. Legally as well as to your ears! Grounds of divorce do include adultery (which is sexual intercourse with someone of the opposite gender) but if the other does not admit it, how....
Sunday March 15, 2009 at 7:21am
“I can’t hear you. Mr Woolley”...... ...the famously aggressive Judge shouted at the newly qualified solicitor (me back in 1981)! So, I spoke up. I should add my voice is not very quiet anyway. It seemed he was hard of hearing. He repeated himself. I shouted. He leaned forward to his Clerk and said “Tell the fool”. The Clerk explained that my tie was too colourful and the Judge was not prepared to allow lawyers to speak to him whilst wearing such ties. I borrowed a ....
Saturday March 14, 2009 at 8:47am
Perhaps surprisingly
divorce lawyers are often asked about dating. I have no doubt that, for those who feel ready, dating would help with issues of loneliness, comfort and self esteem. So, go for it. But take care as it may be many years since you have had to remember issues such as walking home alone, watching your drink for spiking, and how to say “goodnight” and mean it (and, whether you do or not). Most people are changed by a divorce and the trauma of it. Many behave somewhat er....
Friday March 13, 2009 at 8:35am
Unusually - I should point out - I am going to be accused of being unfashionable and not being my normal, liberal, self! But the Private Members Bill in the House of Lords to give cohabiting couples (people who are living together, not married) similar rights to those who are married seems to me to be yet another attack on British marriage, an institution already with an appalling record especially when seen against most of the rest of the world.It started when married couples tax allowance was ....
Thursday March 12, 2009 at 1:30pm
Yes, I am referring to a financial settlement of £1Billion not just £1million!Many of us will be amazed just how many
financial settlements on divorce are £1million and above. We deal with many of these now. But I read that the motor racing mogul Bernie Ecclestone was divorced the other day and I read today in the Daily Mail that he is worth over £2billion.When you see a photo of his wife with him, it is very tempting to make a guess about the background reasoning to the ....
Thursday March 12, 2009 at 12:04pm
The Law Society is hosting an emergency summit on 26 March 2009 to debate the proposal by justice secretary Jack Straw to open family law Courts to the general public and the media.The concern is the potential impact on children’s rights in opening up the courts to the public and the fact that press scrutiny will be applied to the most vulnerable of people in very difficult situations.Although the intention is that more openness will bring about an improvement in legal standards, there&rsq....
Tuesday March 10, 2009 at 8:57am
For those living overseas, perhaps having followed a spouse to a new job, there could be horror at the thought of a relationship breaking down and having to go through a divorce in a foreign court, with matters conducted in a language you don't fully understand.
But fear not - this is one case where the English legal system can really come to your rescue.
If you are originally from England or Wales, currently living in another part of the world and want to use the English Courts to....
Monday March 9, 2009 at 9:37am
There are no hard and fast rules regarding your financial rights on the breakdown of a relationship.When negotiating a financial settlement at the end of a marriage there are various factors that need to be taken into account. I am not sure it helps to go through them all as they are very "legal" wording. But basically, a 50/50 share of assets is a very rough rule of thumb, in as much as Judges need to explain why, if they want to move away from that.Understandably, a lot of peopl....
Sunday March 8, 2009 at 9:17am
Saying "I want a divorce" is hard enough emotionally but do take care to find a lawyer who operates carefully and is a specialist.
During or after the divorce proceedings, you might be completely unable to agree about divorce finances and the matrimonial home, and would like to apply to the court for such things as maintenance, your fair share of the
matrimonial assets such as the house and issues surrounding divorce and pensions.. These days, the courts expect and encourage ever....
Saturday March 7, 2009 at 9:33am
Susan Finnamore got divorced and then wrote a book about it. Has she got a point in the title? When someone asks “How do I get a divorce?” they may well agree with her, certainly at that point. They worry about cost of divorce, their
divorce rights and
grounds for divorce and those are just the legal aspects of their concerns. The legal implications of marriage are often forgotten about in the romantic rush of engagement and wedding planning—and so is a prenuptial agreement.Man....
Friday March 6, 2009 at 8:55am
Couples are less likely to ask how to get a divorce once their children leave home, researchers have suggested. Far from the empty nest leading to greater confrontations as some believe, many parents enjoy a new lease of life in their relationship when the children leave as they rediscover the joys of being a couple. The researchers, who studied a group of women over 18 years of their lives, found a marked increase in the happiness of their marriages after their offspring had left to stand on th....
Thursday March 5, 2009 at 5:59pm
Family law jobs It shows that we are in a major recession when even the top law firms are letting hundreds of people, including lawyers, go. I read in The Times of these examples, all unthinkable about 18 months ago: • Allen & Overy removing 450 people including 47 partners and about 200 lawyers plus support staff. • City law firms offering graduates about to join them for a training contact up to £10,000 to defer their start for a year • Linklaters (second largest law f....
Thursday March 5, 2009 at 5:15pm
Child support or child maintenance is financial support that helps towards a child’s everyday living costs. Payment is made by the absent parent to the parent, caregiver or guardian, with whom the children live – the parent with residence. In family law, child support is not arranged as part of a divorce as such but the Court will want to be assured that arrangements regarding contact and residence have been agreed by the parents. The Courts no longer have powers to order the payment....
Wednesday March 4, 2009 at 9:10am
Apparently a 68 year old American lady Linda Wolfe is on the look out for husband number 24. Understood to be the most married woman ever Linda claims men run after her and she likes being married because she gets lonely! Well all I can say is anyone considering marrying someone with a history of serial divorce should take some precautions. If you’ve got money, property, pensions or other assets to consider do think carefully about a prenuptial agreement. In fact you might think twice abou....
Tuesday March 3, 2009 at 9:40am
....says a letter to The Times today.Admittedly, the letter refers to a "child" in their late 20s but there can often be issues with step-children after a divorce.It often brings into focus step parents rights and actually what are the rights and responsibilities of step-parents?Issues of
parental responsibility are often complex and of course the law on the issue is one thing, the reality of human interaction another.And just imagine the extra complications of grandparents rights....
Monday March 2, 2009 at 4:37pm
The Daily Mail today reports that:Family values were under attack again last night with the news that single women having IVF will be able to name anyone they like as their baby's father on the birth certificate. New regulations mean that a mother could nominate another woman to be her child's 'father'. The 'father' does not need to be genetically related to the baby, nor be in any sort of romantic relationship with the mother. Who is named as father is actually very important in law as it ....
Monday March 2, 2009 at 12:49pm
How do I get a divorce? This is a simple guide only. You must have been married for over 1 yearYou must have
grounds for divorce. They might be unreasonable behaviour or adultery for example. This is the divorce procedure. It will tell you about the divorce petition, decree nisi and decree absolute. But, before you start, make sure you understand the cost of divorce and your divorce rights. And do see a specialist family lawyer. Andrew Woolley Divorce Solicitor ....