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: With total assets found to be £89.5m, the parties were significantly apart in respect of the value of certain business interests and...
Family analysis: The High Court allowed in part a father's appeal against an order under section 91(14) of the Children Act 1989 (ChA 1989), which had...
The Online Procedure Rule Committee (OPRC) has launched a consultation on the first Online Procedure Rules to be enacted under the Judicial Review and...
HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has implemented changes to the Form D8 divorce application system. The release, which goes live on 4 December...
This week's edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of the Family Procedure (Amendment) Rules 2025, SI 2025/1242. Recent judgments on...
Latest Family Practice Notes
Child abduction—introduction to defences under the 1980 Hague ConventionThis Practice Note sets out the limited defences that may be raised in...
Defences under the 1980 Hague Convention—consent, acquiescence and non-exercise of rights of custodyThis Practice Note sets out the defences under...
Child abduction—introduction and issuing proceedings (1980 Hague Convention)This Practice Note sets out the applicable law in relation to child...
Fast find key contentious trusts and estates precedentsProbate actionsClient guideThis Precedent client guide provides an overview of probate disputes...
Defences under the 1980 Hague Convention—grave risk of physical or psychological harmThis Practice Note sets out the defence that may be raised under...
Latest Family Precedents
Financial provision after overseas divorce or dissolution—client guideThis document provides general guidance regarding an application for financial...
Draft Part 8 Claim Form—family provision claimThis Precedent is based on a precedent found in Inheritance Act Claims: Law, Practice and Procedure...
Notice to show cause applications—client guideThis document provides general guidance regarding notice to show cause applications in family...
Specimen narrative statement in financial remedy applications under Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, s 25In the FAMILY COURT SITTING AT [court...
Spousal and civil partner maintenance—client guideThis document provides general guidance regarding an application to the court for maintenance on...
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
Maintenance
Payments made to a spouse or civil partner or a former spouse or civil partner for themselves or for a child of the family.
Qualifying nuptial agreements (QNAs)
The Law Commission recommended in its 2014 report on matrimonial property, needs and agreements (Law Com No 343), that legislation be enacted to introduce qualifying nuptial agreements (QNAs)—a new form of contract, subject to requirements as to their formation, to enable couples to make contractual, enforceable arrangements about the financial consequences of divorce/dissolution. The government’s final response to the proposals is awaited. See News Analysis: Family lawyers respond to Law Commission’s report on Matrimonial Property, Needs and Agreements.
Surrogacy Arrangement
An arrangement is a surrogacy arrangement if, were a woman to whom the arrangement relates to carry a child in pursuance of it, she would be a surrogate mother.
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