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 biggest change involves the addition of three new chapters on consent orders, McKenzie Friends and out‑of‑hours applications....
On 17 December 2025, the President of the Family Division, Sir Andrew McFarlane, published new guidance on non-molestation orders under the Family Law...
This week's edition of the Family weekly highlights includes recent judgments on an application for a special guardianship order, appeals against the...
This week's edition of the Family weekly highlights includes analysis of proportionality in the duration of orders under section 91(14) of the...
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...
Latest Family Practice Notes
Procedure for an application for a non-molestation orderSTOP PRESS: Note that the President of the Family Division Sir Andrew McFarlane has issued new...
Family provision claims—the cohabitantThe cohabitantThe Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975 (I(PFD)A 1975) permits a claim by a...
Trust disputes—sham trustsThe issue of sham is most likely to be raised by the settlor's creditors or former spouse if the settlor is involved in...
International issues relating to the protection of vulnerable adultsCross-border issues arise whenever someone holds assets in more than one...
Fact-finding hearings in private children proceedingsThis Practice Note explains about fact-finding or split hearings in private children cases. It...
Latest Family Precedents
Standard order 1.1—financial directions order—longer versionIn the Family Courtsitting at [Court name]No: [Case number][The Matrimonial Causes Act...
Notice to show cause applications—client guideThis document provides general guidance regarding notice to show cause applications in family...
Standard order 2.1—financial remedy orderIn the Family Courtsitting at [court name]Case No: [case number][The Matrimonial Causes Act 1973ORThe...
Letter enclosing draft financial statement in Form E[insert date]Dear [insert client’s name]I enclose a draft financial statement in Form E. Please...
Submitting a financial consent order—client guideThis document provides general guidance regarding the filing at court of a financial consent order...
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
Answer
A formal pleading in divorce or dissolution proceedings filed by the Respondent in which he will set out his response to the allegations in the petition and giving reasons why the petition should be rejected.
Consummation
The first act of sexual intercourse between a couple following their marriage.
Unreasonable behaviour
In the context of proceedings for divorce or dissolution, behaviour of such nature by the respondent that means that the petitioner can no longer tolerate living with the respondent.
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