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 analysis of the implications of the Family Justice Council guidance on covert recordings...
This week's edition of Family weekly highlights includes details of the speech delivered by the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew...
Family analysis: The final version of the Family Justice Council (FJC) guidance on covert recordings in family law proceedings concerning children has...
Family analysis: Mr Justice Hayden gave consideration to the requirements, including timescales, on an application for permission to appeal made to...
Family analysis: The Court of Appeal held that even in cases where the local authority and the parents of a profoundly disabled 14-year-old agreed to...
Latest Family Practice Notes
Statutory child support schemeThis Practice Note sets out the jurisdiction and criteria in relation to maintenance for a child via the statutory...
Family arbitration—introductionThis Practice Note outlines the process of arbitration in family cases, which has been available for financial disputes...
Occupation ordersOccupation ordersAn occupation order is an order under the Family Law Act 1996 (FLA 1996) conferring, declaring, restricting or...
Adoption by step-parentsThis Practice Note sets out the general principles applied by the court in adoption proceedings commenced by step-parents...
Funding—legal services orders and costs allowancesSections 49–54 of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012 (LASPOA 2012)...
Latest Family Precedents
Separation agreements—client guideThis document provides general guidance regarding separation agreements. Your family lawyer will be able to provide...
Draft Chancery Case Management Directions—family provision claimIT IS ORDERED that: 1Allocation1.1Allocation to Multi-TrackThis Claim is allocated to...
Letter of instruction to a single joint expert to value land or property1IntroductionThis letter is written as a joint instruction to you as an expert...
Pre-nuptial or pre-partnership agreementThis Agreement is made [insert day and month] 20[insert year]Parties1[Insert name] of [insert full address]...
Civil partnership—client guide (post-DDSA 2020)This document provides general guidance regarding civil partnership dissolution procedure. Your family...
Latest Family Q&As
Featured Family content
The grounds on which a marriage is voidable
The grounds on which a marriage is voidableOn 6 April 2022, the provisions of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020), came into...
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...
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...
A child is subject to a supervision order made under section 31 of the Children Act 1989. The court allowed the mother to take the child out of the jurisdiction to another EU country for a relative's funeral. The mother is now refusing to return the child. What steps may be taken by the local authority to return the child to this jurisdiction?
Notices and restrictions
Notices and restrictionsNotices and restrictions may be used to afford some limited protection of an asset comprising land or property, which...
Is there any case law that addresses when hiring a private investigator, or the actions of a private investigator, crosses the boundary into unlawful behaviour such as stalking, harassment or breach of privacy?
Void and voidable marriages
Void and voidable marriagesThe Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA 1973) sets out the grounds on which a marriage is void or voidable and the bars...
The meaning and scope of parental responsibility
The meaning and scope of parental responsibilityDefinitionParental responsibility is concerned with the care and upbringing of a child until they grow...
Online divorce (pre-DDSA 2020)
Online divorce (pre-DDSA 2020)The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020) is in force from 6 April 2022. Proceedings issued by the...
Notice of acting
Notice of actingCase number [insert number][In the principal registryORIn the [insert court location] FAMILY court]Sitting at [insert place]Notice of...
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...
The definition of civil partnership
The definition of civil partnershipDefinitionWhen introduced by the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (CPA 2004), civil partnerships related only to two...
What is the procedure to enforce a penal notice attached to an order as to the filing of a Form E?
The Courts and Tribunals Service Centre and divorce centres
The Courts and Tribunals Service Centre and divorce centresThe Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 (DDSA 2020) is in force from 6 April 2022....
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...
Capitalised maintenance—Duxbury calculations
Capitalised maintenance—Duxbury calculationsThe basis of Duxbury calculationsA Duxbury calculation is an actuarial calculation designed to identify...
If the respondent to a divorce files a cross petition what steps must the first petitioner take if they wish to defend the cross petition and proceed on the basis of their first petition or they do not wish to defend the cross petition. Does the first petitioner need to file an acknowledgment of service of the cross petition or an answer?
Does a non-molestation order or equivalent undertaking appear on a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, police check or criminal record? Does such an order or undertaking appear on advanced DBS checks and will it be listed as an offence if a non-molestation order is breached?
Associated legal terms
Special Guardianship Order
A special guardianship order is an order appointing one or more individuals to be a child's special guardian. It has been described as 'a half-way house' between residence orders and adoption orders. The concept of special guardianship relates to the exercise of parental responsibility and not to parenthood.
Specific issue order
An order of the court directing a person to do or allow something in respect of a child.
Warranted (sheriff court)
The process by which a court document is sealed by the court and approved for service in the sheriff court.
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