Enforcement

Explore the critical aspects of ensuring compliance with family law orders. This topic provides practical guidance on the enforcement of domestic and international family law judgments, equipping practitioners with the tools needed for effective implementation.

View Family by content type:

News
Practice notes
Precedents
Q&As

Sub Topics We Cover

Aids to enforcement Contempt and committal in family proceedings General principles International enforcement Methods of enforcement

Latest Family News

Family weekly highlights—12 June 2025

Family weekly highlights—12 June 2025

The following Family news provides comprehensive and up to date legal information on Family weekly highlights—12 June 2025

MAC publishes family visa financial requirements review

MAC publishes family visa financial requirements review
Family weekly highlights—5 June 2025

Family weekly highlights—5 June 2025

The following Family news provides comprehensive and up to date legal information on Family weekly highlights—5 June 2025

Additional considerations for older intended parents considering international surrogacy (Mr and Mrs K v Mr and Mrs Z)

Additional considerations for older intended parents considering international surrogacy (Mr and Mrs K v Mr and Mrs Z)

The following Family news provides comprehensive and up to date legal information on Additional considerations for older intended parents considering international surrogacy (Mr and Mrs K v Mr and Mrs Z)

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

Implications of the death of a party in financial proceedings

Implications of the death of a party in financial proceedingsThis Practice Note provides guidance on the implementation and enforcement of financial orders made in family proceedings where one of the parties has died. It considers the effect of the death of a party on applications and secured and

Judgment summons

Judgment summonsThis Practice Note sets out the requirements and procedure in relation to the use of a judgment summons as a method of enforcing an order made in family proceedings, including human rights considerations. Where a debtor has the means to pay the debt and refuses or neglects to do so,

Writ or warrant of possession of land

Writ or warrant of possession of landA writ (High Court) or warrant (Family Court) of possession of land can be used to give effect to an order that provides for a party to it to be granted possession of land or buildings, for example under a property adjustment order or an occupation order. When

If a rentcharge is shown as being informally exonerated on title information, does this apply to the

If a rentcharge is shown as being informally exonerated on title information, does this apply to the current registered owner? Or does the informal exoneration only apply to the parties to the document which informally exonerated the rentcharge?This Q&A considers the situation where, at some