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
Family analysis: In the first instance decision in these proceedings, the wife successfully applied to set aside a financial remedy order made in...
This week's edition of the Family weekly highlights includes analyses of two Court of Appeal decisions considering reliance on the evidence of an...
Family analysis: This case involved an appeal in respect of final care orders by the first respondent mother who submitted that the expert...
HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has published a release note introducing a change to the Financial Remedy Service portal to enable automatic...
Private Client analysis: The case considers the factors to be considered on an application to be appointed a deputy for personal welfare (PWD) under...
Latest Family Practice Notes
This Practice Note provides guidance on the instruction of a single joint expert witness in financial proceedings under the Family Procedure Rules...
STOP PRESS: The Financial Remedies Guide 2026, published on 13 March 2026 by Mr Justice Peel (National Lead Judge of the Financial Remedies Court) and...
This Practice Note describes the pilot express financial remedy (EFR) procedure for financial remedy applications involving combined net assets of...
Probate actionsClient guideThis Precedent client guide provides an overview of probate disputes for a client or potential client. It sets out what...
Solicitors must consider the mental capacity of their clients in everything they do. The consideration of such capacity will occur where:•there is a...
Latest Family Precedents
[insert date]Dear [insert client’s name]I enclose your completed Form E. Please read it carefully to ensure that the details are correct. You have...
UPON HEARING [counsel OR solicitor] for the claimant and [counsel OR solicitor] for the defendant:Declaration of trust in relation to a property[IT IS...
This DEED is made on [insert date and month] 20[insert year]Parties1[Insert name of first party] of [insert address of first party] ([AB]) and2[Insert...
This document provides general guidance regarding cohabitation agreements. It explains what a cohabitation agreement is, why you might want to make...
This document provides general guidance regarding the property rights of cohabitants and claims under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of Trustees...
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
Advocates' meeting
A advocates' meeting has a specific meaning in public law children proceedings and is a meeting between the parties' advocates, and, where applicable, a litigant in person, with the primary purpose of identifing and narrowing issues.
Family-based arrangement
A family-based arrangement is an agreement between both parents about who will provide what for a child, not limited to maintenance payments. Such an agreement can be lodged as a consent order at court in financial order proceedings but does not have to be. See the Child Maintenance Options website and Child Maintenance Service.
Maintenance
Payments made to a spouse or civil partner or a former spouse or civil partner for themselves or for a child of the family.
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