About Family Law
In family law, half the battle is keeping on top of the latest case law, legislation, precedents and forms. Lexis+ Family brings everything together for you online, in one place. So you can get up to speed faster, with more time to spend on your clients.
Financial provision
Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of financial provision, from underlying principles considered by the court to applications under specific legislation. Not forgetting in-depth practical guidance on specialist areas.
Private children
Get stuck into all areas of private children law, from fundamental principles to evidence and procedure. Plus subtopics to make sure practitioners have the relevant practical guidance at their fingertips.
International law
Families are increasingly international, so practitioners need quick access to relevant practical guidance. We'll provide the information you need to advise your clients on the best jurisdiction.
Lexis+® Family
In family law, half the battle is keeping on top of the latest case law, legislation, precedents and forms. Lexis+® Family brings everything together for you online, in one place.
Latest Family News
This week’s edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of the Family Procedure Rule Committee’s annual open meeting. Analysis of the...
Corporate Crime analysis: In R v F.G.D, the Court of Appeal reversed a stay for abuse of process imposed after a complainant used AI to prepare for...
This week’s edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of the High Court summer vacation. Analysis of a Court of Appeal decision on...
Family Law analysis: The Court of Appeal allowed the husband’s appeal against an order under which 70% of his overall award, but only 30% of the...
This week’s edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of the President of the Family Division’s revised family listing guidance taking...
Latest Family Practice Notes
This year’s annual review looks back at some of the most significant developments in public and private children of 2017, including consideration of...
Although it is generally recognised that grandparents can play an important role in the lives of their grandchildren, grandparents do not have an...
This Practice Note explains the eligibility and pre-application requirements for adoption orders, including who can be adopted and who can adopt, the...
This Practice Note explains the conditions that must be satisfied before an adoption order may be made, including parental consent, dispensation with...
This Practice Note sets out key areas of family law, providing an introduction to family law practical guidance materials for experienced family...
Latest Family Precedents
This document provides general guidance regarding public law applications relating to children. Your family lawyer will be able to provide specific...
In the Family CourtCase No: [Case number]sitting at [Court name]Non-Molestation OrderThe Family Law Act 1996The full name(s) of the child(ren)Boy or...
This document provides general guidance regarding an application for financial provision after overseas divorce under Part III of the Matrimonial and...
STOP PRESS: On 11 May 2026, as part of the standard orders project, and with the authority of the President of the Family Division, Peel J (the judge...
This Agreement is made [insert day and month] 20[insert year]Parties1[Insert name] of [insert full address] (PARTY A), and2[Insert name] of [insert...
Latest Family Q&As
Featured Family content
Procedure—Schedule 1 to the Children Act 1989
Procedure—Schedule 1 to the Children Act 1989This Practice Note sets out the procedural requirements in relation to an application under Schedule 1 to...
Applications under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997
Applications under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997This Practice Note explains the six criminal offences that may be committed under the...
Striking out a statement of case
Striking out a statement of caseThis Practice Note explains the court's power to strike out a statement of case. It summarises the grounds on which a...
The grounds on which a marriage is void
The grounds on which a marriage is voidA void marriage is one that will be treated by the court as never having taken place. The grounds on which a...
Sequestration (confiscation of assets) within contempt proceedings
Sequestration (confiscation of assets) within contempt proceedingsSequestration is a process for dealing with a contempt of court that would be...
Application to vary, extend or discharge a non-molestation or occupation order
Application to vary, extend or discharge a non-molestation or occupation orderUnder the Family Law Act 1996 (FLA 1996) a non-molestation order is an...
Notice to show cause applications in family proceedings
Notice to show cause applications in family proceedingsIf one party considers that an agreement has been reached (usually in relation to financial...
What is the procedure to withdraw an application made on Form C100?
Pre-nuptial agreements—client guide
Pre-nuptial agreements—client guideThis document provides general guidance regarding pre-nuptial agreements. Your family lawyer will be able to...
Steps to take after a client meeting
Steps to take after a client meetingFile noteA file note (also known as an attendance note) should be prepared immediately after the first interview,...
Is a divorce petition a public document and can anyone request a copy? If not, is there anything to prevent a party to a divorce from giving copies of the petition to a third party such as an employer?
Declarations of parentage—procedure
Declarations of parentage—procedureThe procedure for an application for a declaration of parentage is governed by the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR...
Working with counsel
Working with counselInstructing counsel to advocate on a client’s behalf should be a matter of careful thought and preparation. The role of counsel is...
Non-molestation orders
Non-molestation ordersUnder the Family Law Act 1996 (FLA 1996) a non-molestation order is an order prohibiting a person (the respondent) from...
Reports under section 37 of the Children Act 1989
Reports under section 37 of the Children Act 1989Under section 37 of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989), the court has the power to order an...
‘Associated persons’ as defined in section 62(3) of Family Law Act 1996 includes people who have, or have had, an intimate personal relationship with each other which is or was of significant duration. How is ‘significant duration’ defined and how long is considered significant?
Financial clean break orders in family proceedings
Financial clean break orders in family proceedingsDuty of the court to consider a clean breakAlthough there is no presumption in favour of there being...
What is the procedure to withdraw a divorce petition that has already been served on the respondent? Will the respondent be notified of any application to withdraw the petition and what does the court take into account in deciding whether the petition should be dismissed?
Associated legal terms
Domicile
Under English law a party is generally domiciled in the country in which they have made their permanent home. There are different types of domicile including a domicile of origin, domicile of choice and domicile of dependence. The court will look at a range of factors to determine domicile.
Surrogate mother
“Surrogate mother” means a woman who carries a child in pursuance of an arrangement— (a) made before she began to carry the child, and (b) made with a view to any child carried in pursuance of it being handed over to, and [parental responsibility being met] (so far as practicable) by, another person or other persons.
Timetable
At the core of the PLO is the objective to resolve the application without delay and within 26 weeks (beginning with the day on which the application is issued). The court will timetable the proceedings with regard to the child's welfare and development.
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