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
Dispute Resolution analysis: The minutes of the Online Procedure Rule Committee (OPRC) meeting of 17 June 2026 (conducted in a hybrid format at the...
The UK Supreme Court (UKSC) and Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (JCPC) have launched an informal consultation on reducing the page limit for...
Pensions analysis: The Pension Protection Fund Ombudsman has rejected a complaint about an incorrect member communication. Martin Scott of gunnercooke...
The President of the Family Division, Sir Stephen Cobb, has published revised Family Listing Guidance, to take effect from 31 August 2026. Originally...
This week’s edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of the renaming of the Chancery Division to the Business and Property Division,...
Latest Family Practice Notes
Severance is the process by which a joint tenancy is converted into a tenancy in common. It is a matter of evidence whether severance has...
This Practice Note details the requirements for an application for an order to obtain information from a judgment debtor, formerly known as an 'oral...
This Practice Note sets out the methods of enforcement available to enforce an order made under section 14 of the Trusts of Land and Appointment of...
This Practice Note sets out the steps to be taken following the making of a pension order in family proceedings, key stages and requirements including...
This Practice Note details who can be adopted and who can adopt, together with the conditions to be satisfied, adoption reports and procedural issues....
Latest Family Precedents
1IntroductionThis letter is written as a joint instruction to you as an expert in financial remedy proceedings relating to [divorce OR dissolution]...
ARCHIVED: This Precedent has been archived and is not maintained.These training materials consist of template PowerPoint slides that can be used as...
This document provides general guidance regarding divorce procedure. Your family lawyer will be able to provide specific advice based on your...
Dear [insert client]Invoice and monies on accountI enclose my firm's invoice for the period [insert date] to [insert date] for your kind attention...
This document provides general guidance regarding the filing at court of a financial consent order and statement of information in Form D81. Your...
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
Disqualification clause
A clause in the collaborative agreement by which the parties agree that if they are unable to agree matters during the course of the collaborative process and proceedings are issued, they will dispense with the services of their current lawyers and instruct new lawyers.
Secure accommodation order
A secure accommodation order provides for a child to be accommodated in accommodation provided for the purpose of restricting liberty. In most cases, the child must be ‘looked after’, ie either a child under a care order, or a child provided with accommodation under social services functions.
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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