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: The High Court considered an application by an unregulated sperm donor for a declaration of parentage under section 55A of the Family...
Family analysis: In A and another v C and another [2026] EWHC 972 (Fam), Mr Justice Williams re-stated the approach to parental orders under section...
On 29 April 2026, the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act 2026, which, among other things, makes a series of amendments to the Children Act 1989 (ChA...
The UK Supreme Court has announced that His Majesty The King has approved the appointment of Lord Justice Snowden as a Justice of the Supreme Court....
The Victims and Courts Bill has received Royal Assent, introducing reforms aimed at strengthening victims’ rights and improving the operation of the...
Latest Family Practice Notes
In general the trust instrument will provide for the appointment of replacement trustees (see Practice Note: Trustees—appointment of trustees) but...
Total intestacyA total intestacy occurs when all of the deceased's property is undisposed of because:•the deceased did not make a Will•the deceased...
This Practice Note explains the circumstances in which a forced marriage protection order (FMPO) may be made under Part IVA of the Family Law Act 1996...
This Practice Note provides guidance on the basis and use of Duxbury calculations in relation to the calculation of capitalised spousal or civil...
This Practice Note summarises the procedure for bringing contempt proceedings under Part 37 of the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI...
Latest Family Precedents
Bank accounts1Provide a schedule of all bank or other accounts (whether current, deposit, loan or other) not disclosed in Form E in which the...
In the FAMILY COURT SITTING AT [insert court location]No. [insert number]Between[insert applicant name]Applicantand[insert respondent...
In the Financial Remedies CourtGatekeeping and Allocation CertificateThis Certificate will assist the Court to allocate the case to the appropriate...
In the Family Courtsitting at [Court name]Case No: [Case number][The Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 OR The Civil Partnership Act 2004 OR The Matrimonial...
This document provides general guidance regarding an application to court to vary a financial order. Your family lawyer will be able to provide...
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
Alternative Dispute Resolution (Family)
Alternative Dispute Resolution is a process for resolving family law disputes, eg mediation, collaborative law or family arbitration.
Financial dispute resolution (FDR) appointment
An FDR appointment is a without prejudice court hearing in financial proceedings and an opportunity to explore whether the dispute can be resolved, with the assistance of a judge who, if the parties do not reach agreement, will give an indication of the order the court may make if the matter were to proceed to a final hearing.
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.
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