Emergency procedures

In moments of crisis, understanding the swift and efficient steps required in family law can make all the difference. Our guidance provides comprehensive procedures for handling emergency situations, ensuring you can act decisively and effectively to protect your clients’ interests and well-being. Whether dealing with urgent protective orders, emergency child arrangements, or immediate safeguarding issues, gain the expertise needed to manage critical and time-sensitive matters with confidence.

View Family by content type:

News
Practice notes
Precedents
Q&As

Sub Topics We Cover

Domestic abuse Emergency procedures for children Forced marriage protection orders Preservation of assets

Latest Family News

Family weekly highlights—4 September 2025

Family weekly highlights—4 September 2025

The following Family news provides comprehensive and up to date legal information on Family weekly highlights—4 September 2025

When is a fact-finding hearing needed to inform risk assessment? (G (A Child: Scope of Fact-Finding))

When is a fact-finding hearing needed to inform risk assessment? (G (A Child: Scope of Fact-Finding))

The following Family news provides comprehensive and up to date legal information on When is a fact-finding hearing needed to inform risk assessment? (G (A Child: Scope of Fact-Finding))

Family Division launches consultation on revised court allocation guidance

Family Division launches consultation on revised court allocation guidance
Family weekly highlights—28 August 2025

Family weekly highlights—28 August 2025

The following Family news provides comprehensive and up to date legal information on Family weekly highlights—28 August 2025

Featured Family content

Procedure—Schedule 1 to the Children Act 1989

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 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 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 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...

Practice notes

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...
Read More >
Produced in partnership with David Salter
30th May
Practice notes

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...
Read More >
30th May
tag iconCOVID-19
Practice notes

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...
Read More >
2nd Jun
Q&As

What is the procedure to withdraw an application made on Form C100?

What is the procedure to withdraw an application made on Form C100?Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955, 29.4 provides that any...
Read More >
2nd Jun
Precedents

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...
Read More >
2nd Jun
Practice notes

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,...
Read More >
30th May
Q&As

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?

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...
Read More >
2nd Jun
Practice notes

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...
Read More >
30th May
Practice notes

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...
Read More >
Produced in partnership with Ursula Rice of Family First Solicitors Ltd
2nd Jun
Practice notes

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...
Read More >
30th May
tag iconCOVID-19
Practice notes

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...
Read More >
Produced in partnership with Katherine Illsley of 4 King’s Bench Walk
30th May
Q&As

‘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?

‘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...
Read More >
2nd Jun
Practice notes

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...
Read More >
30th May
Q&As

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?

What is the procedure to withdraw a divorce petition that has already been served on the respondent? Will the respondent be notified of any...
Read More >
2nd Jun
Practice notes

Enforcing an order for sale

Enforcing an order for saleThis Practice Note explains when the court can make an order for the sale of property in proceedings under the Matrimonial...
Read More >
Produced in partnership with David Salter
2nd Jun
Q&As

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?

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...
Read More >
Produced in partnership with Chris Bryden of 4 King’s Bench Walk
30th May

Popular documents

Does a non-molestation order or equivalent undertaking appear on a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)

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?Does a

What is the procedure to discharge an undertaking attached to a non-molestation order made under Part IV

What is the procedure to discharge an undertaking attached to a non-molestation order made under Part IV of the Family Law Act 1996? Should the application be made on Form FL403, if not, what is the correct form?One way in which an application for a non-molestation order under section 42 of the

Applications to set aside past dealings—MCA 1973, s 37

Applications to set aside past dealings—MCA 1973, s 37This Practice Note details the jurisdiction and procedure regarding applications under section 37 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (MCA 1973) (or the Civil Partnership Act 2004 (CPA 2004) equivalent) to set aside a financial transaction to a

Freezing orders (Mareva)—family proceedings

Freezing orders (Mareva)—family proceedingsA freezing order (formerly termed a Mareva injunction or order) is an interim injunction restraining a party from disposing or dealing with assets under the inherent jurisdiction of the High Court or the Family Court (by section 31E of the Matrimonial and