Pre-action

Prepare effectively for family law disputes with pre-action guidance. This resource outlines essential steps and considerations before initiating proceedings, helping practitioners to build strong cases and achieve favourable outcomes.

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Latest Family News

Changes to the Chancery Division and formation of the Business and Property Division—what family practitioners need to know

Changes to the Chancery Division and formation of the Business and Property Division—what family practitioners need to know

Family analysis: From 1 October 2026, the Chancery Division will be renamed the Business and Property Division (BPD), and include the Patents Court,...

Widow successfully challenges the provision under her late husband’s Will in high value Family provision claim (Thirsk v Thirsk)

Widow successfully challenges the provision under her late husband’s Will in high value Family provision claim (Thirsk v Thirsk)

Private Client analysis: The High Court held that a Will leaving a surviving spouse a £5 million legacy and limited additional benefits failed to make...

196th Practice Direction update—Business and Property Division and other procedural amendments—in force on various dates

196th Practice Direction update—Business and Property Division and other procedural amendments—in force on various dates

The Master of the Rolls and the Minister of State have approved the 196th Practice Direction update to the Civil Procedure Rules. The update...

Family weekly highlights—16 July 2026

Family weekly highlights—16 July 2026

This week’s edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of updated standard family orders, changes to delegated authority for legal aid...

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...
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Produced in partnership with David Salter
13th Oct
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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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,...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Produced in partnership with Ursula Rice of Family First Solicitors Ltd
13th Oct
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...
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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...
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Produced in partnership with Katherine Illsley of 4 King’s Bench Walk
13th Oct
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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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Produced in partnership with David Salter
13th Oct
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...
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Produced in partnership with Chris Bryden of 4 King’s Bench Walk
13th Oct

Popular documents

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

If a beneficiary signs a deed of disclaimer of their share of an estate and the estate pays their legal

If a beneficiary signs a deed of disclaimer of their share of an estate and the estate pays their legal fees, will that count as a PET against their estate?A disclaimer is the refusal of a gift prior to acceptance. The refusal of the gift must take place before the beneficiary accepts any benefit

Strike out—making an application to strike out a statement of case

Strike out—making an application to strike out a statement of caseA strike out order can be made either following an application by the parties or on the court's own initiative. This Practice Note deals with the scenario of the order being made following a party's application.Making an application

Can shares in a limited company that have not been paid-up at all be cancelled?

Can shares in a limited company that have not been paid-up at all be cancelled?A limited company having a share capital may not alter that share capital, except in the ways listed in section 617 of the Companies Act 2006 (CA 2006). Shares in a company cannot simply be cancelled without following an