Farhad Islam

When a couple makes the decision to divorce, the breakdown of the relationship can have far-reaching consequences. Unfortunately, grandparents of any children of the relationship can suffer and even be prevented from seeing their grandchildren as often as...

Divorce professionals are reporting that cryptocurrencies are fuelling a new trend of asset concealment when couples part. For while offshore trusts and investments are well-known as tools used by the wealthy looking to hide assets, the increasing...

Domestic abuse charities across the nation have been issuing warnings relating to the rise in domestic abuse cases happening linked to the current football matches. The rise in Domestic abuses cases have spiked by 61 per cent since the March 2020...

Under the current divorce law , the only way to get a divorce without a statutory delay is if one spouse not only initiates proceedings but alleges fault on behalf of the other. A no-fault divorce is a divorce procedure that does not...

Non-payment of child maintenance: What happens if a parent doesn’t pay? Under a child maintenance arrangement , child maintenance is usually paid by the parent who does not have day-to-day care of the child or does not usually live with the child. If...

It is very likely that multi billionaire Ms Scott would have been advised by her lawyers to enter into a prenuptial agreement as she married for the second time. Her net worth is estimated to be in the region of $53bn having helped her first husband Jeff...

What happens to joint property when cohabitation ends? Separation is never easy, but if you and your former partner own property together, the situation can be even more complicated. If you have been living with a partner, but you are...

Good Divorce Week takes place from 30 November to 4 December 2020. During the awareness week, Resolution is relaunching its public facing Code of Practice which promotes a constructive approach to family issues and considers the needs of the whole family...

It has now been one week since England went into the second lockdown as a result of the continued pandemic. The second lockdown is slightly less restrictive than the first lockdown which we all experienced earlier this year. The government has allowed for...

Farmers or those married to a farmer do not need a specific farming divorce lawyer but they do need a good lawyer with experience of the particular issues that arise during a farming divorce. Gepp Solicitors have been serving the rural community of Essex...

From midnight on Friday 16th October 2020, Tier 2 restrictions came into effect in Essex and numerous other areas across the country. Tier 2 restrictions mean that people cannot meet other households socially indoors - whether at home or at other venues...

The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill has received Royal Assent but this has not yet come into force. This is mainly due to the changes which need to take place such as, court forms being updated. It is however rumoured that the new law will come...

The government has launched a review into the support available in the workplace, currently, for employees that suffer from domestic violence . The consultation seeks evidence and information onto what is available for employees nowadays and what...

Many of my clients, regardless of gender, do not actually know that a pension is classified as a matrimonial asset on divorce. Therefore, simply put, yes you are entitled to a portion of your spouse's pension. It was interesting to note that data from...

Restrictions continue to be eased as the UK gets further past the peak of the Coronavirus pandemic. Some people in England are now be able to form a "support bubble, but what does this mean for Family Law? Unmarried...

Since the covid-19 pandemic broke earlier this year, the number of virtual hearings held in England and Wales has increased five-fold. Some family law practitioners are saying video and phone calls are not suitable for some sensitive cases. Charitable...

I have had several enquiries regarding contact since the lockdown guidance was introduced. Cabinet Minister, Michael Gove, caused confusion among families when England announced its lockdown. When he appeared on ITV's Good Morning Britain, he said...

Cafcass has shared a very helpful guide for working at home whilst your children are around. The guide provides practical tips on how to remain productive and calm while working from home with children. It also offers useful links to a variety of...

One in ten London crimes involves domestic abuse. The National Domestic Abuse Helpline has recorded a 25% jump in abuse inquiries since lockdown. There have been fears that domestic violence would increase due to the nationwide lockdown as victims of...

The country is in the middle of a Public Health crisis on an unprecedented scale. Parental responsibility for a child who is the subject of a Child Arrangements Order made by the Family Court rests with the child’s parents and not with the...

It has been reported that a financial settlement in divorce has been reached between William Shatner and his wife, Elizabeth. In his seven decades of television, William Shatner became a cultural icon for his portrayal of Captain James T. Kirk of the...

What you need to know about 'DIY Divorce' from our Family Law solicitor Filomena Sterkaj... There are many misconceptions about online divorce. I am often asked by clients whether a Solicitor is mandatory in their case or, can they just...

Mixed-sex couples can now become civil partners. Previously, the law only allowed same-sex couples to be civil partners. Rebecca Steinfeld and Charles Keidan, who won a legal battle for the right to heterosexual civil partnerships, were among the first...

Going through a divorce or separation is difficult. Emotions are high and even if two people agree, the changes can be overwhelming and stressful. All too often it is tempting to get into tit for tat arguments that lead nowhere. So why not make a few...

Our top tips for dealing with separations and children during the Christmas and New Year period... The festive period can be a difficult time for separated parents. If you have not agreed on the child arrangements as yet, time is running out. If disputes...

We have had a few questions recently from curious clients about when opposite-sex couples will be able to register a civil partnership . Opposite-sex couples will be able to register civil partnerships in England and Wales from 31 December 2019 ,...

I often meet clients who have an assumption that they can get a "quick divorce" - In England and Wales there is no such thing as a “quick divorce”. The time it takes a Court to process a divorce application can vary depending on the...

New laws to boost the rights of abuse victims, crack down on animal cruelty and introduce no-fault divorce could be axed after Parliament was suspended until the 14th October. The 12 bills that were going through at the time of Parliament's...

Legislation for no-fault divorce will be introduced as 'soon as parliamentary time becomes available'. Currently, there is no such thing as a no fault divorce. The only ground for divorce, is that the marriage has irretrievably broken down and to...

The record breaking divorce settlement.. The world's richest man, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, and his wife MacKenzie have agreed a record-breaking divorce settlement of at least $35bn (£27bn). The divorce deal dwarfs a previous $3.8bn record set in...

The Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Act comes into force on 26 May 2019. The Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration etc) Bill received Royal Assent on 26 March 2019, becoming the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and...

Nearly two years after the government pledged to end the cross-examination of domestic violence victims by their alleged abusive ex-partners in the family courts, it has finally unveiled a draft bill to end the controversial practice. The landmark bill will...

Gepp's family lawyers are supporting Resolution's campaign for a change in the law to reduce the fallout from divorce on children, after figures released today revealed the impact of conflict between separating parents. In a new poll, 79% of the...

Before the introduction of civil partnerships and same sex marriages, it used to be the case that same sex couples were discriminated against by not being able to obtain legal recognition of their relationship their relationship in any way. Since...

What proposals is the government's consultation on divorce law reform likely to include? A new process to remove need for couples to have been separated or to allege ‘fault’ in order to obtain divorce...

In my blog of 26 July 2018, I reported on calls for a reform of divorce law after Mrs Owens was forced to remain in a marriage that was not working because the grounds, that she was unhappy, were insufficient for a divorce in England and Wales. ...

A survey of 11,000 children found 22% of the girls and 9% of the boys said they had hurt themselves on purpose in the year prior to the questionnaire. The self-harm statistics are included in The Children's Society's annual Good Childhood Report,...

Tini Owens (66) petitioned for divorce from her husband on the grounds that her husband had behaved unreasonable and the 40-year marriage had broken down irretrievably. Unusually, the petition was defended by her husband Hugh (78) and the divorce was denied....

The Family Court judges have a new leader from 18th July 2018. Sir Andrew McFarlane is the new President, ie the leading judge for all family courts. When Sir Andrew was a barrister, his specialism was the law relating to children. For more than 7...

This professional group was created with junior professionals in mind, with the aim of providing opportunities for networking and socialising within the local business community. Named because of Chelmsford's geographical distance from London, this brand...

When couples break up either one can be 100% liable for money owed on a joint account After Jennifer Davis ( not her real name ) tried to shut down the joint account she shared with her former partner, she got a nasty surprise. Her other half had taken out...

Plans are afoot for heterosexual couples to be given the right to enter into civil partnerships after the biggest shakeup of marriage laws since the 1800s. The home office said it would review the operation of civil partnerships – which are currently...

In any separation or divorce the emotional upheaval can be stressful to deal with, but so too can the financial implications. If couples are unable to agree to an amicable separation or divorce and the process goes all the way to a contested court hearing,...

With Christmas fast approaching you might be thinking about the next stage of your relationship and asking your partner to move in. What rights do cohabiting couples have with respect to the property they live in and other assets? Couples who are unmarried...

Unfortunately, being a father with or without Parental Responsibility for your children does not automatically give you the right to spend time with them over the Christmas holidays, unless you have an agreement or a Court Order. We recommend trying to work...

How to make your children's Christmas special Start the conversation about Christmas with your children's other parent as early as possible so that you have plenty of time to agree arrangements and tell the children,...

It’s no secret that divorce can be one of the most stressful events a person goes through in life. Unfortunately when children are involved things can be doubly challenging. The co-parenting process can be tricky to master at first, but here are 5 top...

A Consent Order is a legally binding document which sets out the financial agreement between divorcing couples. Each Consent Order is different and is drafted according to each party's unique circumstances. The Consent Order will deal with all the...

Few of us could have failed to share the pain of Charlie Gard's parents who recently made the difficult decision to allow their son to die. But this decision came following a series of court hearings when they challenged the hospitals recommendation to...

Around 230,000.00 people are going through a divorce every year in England and Wales and almost half of the break ups have at least one child under 16 in the relationship. This therefore meant that tens of thousands of children see their parents separate and...