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
The Law Commission consultation on provisional proposals to reform the legal framework for kinship care in England and Wales has been updated to...
The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has confirmed that domestic abuse protection notices and domestic abuse protection orders (DAPNs and DAPOs), introduced...
This week’s edition of the Family weekly highlights includes recent judgments on a father’s application for judicial review of a local authority’s...
This week’s edition of the Family weekly highlights includes details of the updated MyHMCTS financial remedy cases guidance. Recent judgments on an...
Private Client analysis: The Court of Appeal allowed the parents’ appeal and appointed them as HB’s health and welfare deputies, rejecting the...
Latest Family Practice Notes
This Practice Note explains the procedure for applying for a domestic abuse protection order (DAPO) under the pilot scheme contained in FPR 2010, PD...
This Practice Note provides guidance on applications made online for divorce and dissolution on or after 1 June 2024, under FPR 2010, PD 41G,...
Under Part III of the Matrimonial and Family Proceedings Act 1984 (MFPA 1984) spouses who have been divorced overseas and who have a connection with...
This Practice Note sets out the court’s approach to business assets in financial remedy applications, including their valuation, the use of expert...
This Practice Note explains how to apply for a decree nisi in proceedings for nullity (application for a matrimonial order) where the application was...
Latest Family Precedents
This document provides general guidance regarding financial disclosure. Your family lawyer will be able to provide specific advice based on your...
This Deed is made the [insert date and month] 20[insert year]Parties1[Insert name of first party] of [insert address of first party] ([insert first...
This document provides general guidance regarding applications for adoption by step-parents. Your family lawyer will be able to provide specific...
Dear [insert organisation name][PROSPECTIVE CLAIMANT’S NAME] AND [PROSPECTIVE DEFENDANT(S) NAME(S)]The estate of [name] deceasedLETTER OF CLAIM—...
This document provides general guidance regarding public law applications relating to children. Your family lawyer will be able to provide specific...
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
Detailed assessment proceedings
The procedure by which the amount of costs is decided in accordance with the rules'>Civil Procedure Rules 1998 (CPR), SI 1998/3132, Pt 47.
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.
Section 32 buy-out plans
An annuity contract introduced by section 32 of the Finance Act 1981 to transfer liability from an occupational pension to the insurer of a pension arrangement.
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