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News2023-10-04T12:02:36+01:00

Family Law Updates

These articles have been created to provide to provide the latest legal family law updates or to provide brief answers to some of the questions we are most commonly asked. They are not meant to provide legal advice, merely a general overview of some legal concepts. If you need to understand how any of these concepts apply to your specific circumstances, please get in touch.

Is Leaving the Marital Home Before Divorce a Safe Move?

June 22, 2026|

Leaving the marital home before divorce can feel like the only practical option when a relationship has broken down. In some cases, moving out may reduce conflict and give both parties space to consider the next steps. In others, it may create uncertainty around finances, housing, children and future negotiations. At Tyrer Roxburgh, we provide clear, practical advice to help clients understand their rights before making important decisions about the family home. If you are unsure whether to stay or leave, early advice can help you protect your position and avoid steps that may be difficult to reverse.

How Can a Divorce Accountant Help with Financial Settlements

June 22, 2026|

Financial settlements can be one of the most important parts of a divorce. Before any agreement can be reached, both parties need to understand the assets, income, liabilities and future financial needs involved. Where finances are straightforward, this may be achieved through standard financial disclosure. However, where there are businesses, property portfolios, investments, pensions, trusts or concerns about transparency, specialist accountancy input can be helpful.

How Can International Divorce Lawyers Help With Complex Cases

June 22, 2026|

International divorce cases can be difficult to manage without specialist legal advice. When spouses, children, finances or assets are connected to more than one country, there may be issues around jurisdiction, court procedure, overseas property, child arrangements and the enforcement of orders abroad. These cases are rarely one-size-fits-all. The right approach will depend on where each person lives, where the children are based, where the assets are held and whether proceedings have already started in another country. At Tyrer Roxburgh, we provide clear, practical advice to clients dealing with complex family law matters with an international element. We can help you understand your options, protect your position and take the right steps at an early stage.

Pets and Divorce

June 22, 2026|

For many families, a pet is far more than a possession. Dogs, cats and other companion animals often form part of daily life, providing comfort, routine and emotional support. When a relationship breaks down, deciding what happens to the family pet can become one of the more sensitive issues to resolve.

The Process for Adopting a Child from Abroad 

May 7, 2026|

Adopting a child from abroad can be a life-changing decision. It offers the opportunity to provide a permanent home to a child while growing your family. However, international adoption is more complex than adopting within the UK. It involves multiple legal systems, immigration requirements, and strict procedures designed to protect the child’s welfare. Understanding how the process works is essential before you begin.

The Legal Considerations of Donor Conception

May 7, 2026|

Donor conception is an increasingly common way to start or grow a family. Whether through donor sperm, eggs, or embryos, it offers a pathway to parenthood where it might not otherwise be possible. While the medical aspects are typically handled through fertility clinics, the legal position is equally important. Understanding who the law recognises as a parent, and how parental responsibility is established, is essential from the outset. The legal framework in England and Wales is clear in many cases, but it can become more complex depending on how conception takes place.

How to Adopt a Child in the UK 

May 7, 2026|

Adopting a child is a significant and life-changing decision. It creates a permanent legal relationship, giving you full parental responsibility and providing long-term stability and security for a child. The adoption process in England and Wales is carefully structured and regulated. Its purpose is to ensure that adoption is always in the best interests of the child. While the process can feel detailed at first, understanding the key stages makes it much more manageable.

The Role of a Divorce Forensic Accountant Explained

May 7, 2026|

Divorce is not just an emotional process. It is also a financial one. In many cases, reaching a fair settlement depends on having a clear and accurate understanding of both parties’ financial positions. Where finances are straightforward, this can be achieved through standard disclosure. However, in more complex cases, particularly those involving significant wealth, business interests or concerns about transparency, additional expertise is often required. This is where a divorce forensic accountant becomes essential.

Can I Adopt My Partner’s Child? Step-Parent Adoption

May 7, 2026|

If you are in a relationship with someone who has a child, you may already play an important role in that child’s life. Over time, it is natural to want to formalise that relationship legally. Adopting your partner’s child gives you full parental responsibility and legal recognition as their parent. It can provide clarity, stability, and long-term security for your family. However, adoption is a significant and permanent legal step. The process varies depending on your circumstances, particularly whether you are married to your partner or not.

Divorce and Property Rights

March 17, 2026|

Questions such as who gets the house in divorce, whether the property must be sold, and how equity will be divided often form the core of the divorce financial settlement negotiations. This guide provides a comprehensive overview of divorce and property rights providing a broadbrush overview of the legal considerations, options and potential outcomes. This page acts as a central hub for divorce and property issues, linking to detailed guides on each topic.

Fixed Fee Divorce Solicitors

February 4, 2026|

Divorce is a stressful time for most people. If you’re also worrying about escalating legal bills or unclear costs, it can feel even more overwhelming. Our fixed fee divorce solicitors take some of that stress and uncertainty away by offering a clear, upfront price for handling the legal divorce process itself. As part of our fixed fee divorce service, we will submit your divorce application on your behalf, giving you confidence that this part of the process is dealt with properly, efficiently, and without surprise costs.

The Key Stages of Divorce and The Divorce Timeline

February 4, 2026|

If you are about to go through a divorce, one of the first things you might want to know is how long it takes and what the legal process will look like. The divorce timeline can feel confusing at first, especially if you have never dealt with the family courts before. When you add in any extra considerations, such as finances, property, or children, things can feel even more unclear. In this article, we outline the stages of divorce in England and Wales, along with a typical timeline, so you have a better idea of what happens throughout the process.

Questions to Ask Your Divorce Financial Settlement Solicitors

January 8, 2026|

Choosing the right solicitor for your divorce might be more important than you think. If money, property, pensions, or ongoing support are involved, the advice you get around finances can shape your future for years. This article looks at some of the most important questions to ask divorce financial settlement solicitors before you commit.

What’s The Difference Between a Conditional Order of Divorce and The Final Order of Divorce?

January 8, 2026|

If you are getting divorced in England and Wales, you will soon become familiar with two court orders – the conditional order of divorce and the final order of divorce. Both court orders mark separate stages of the divorce process. However, many people are not sure what they represent. This article explains what each order means and how you move from one to the other.

How To Begin a Gender Bias Divorce Appeal

January 7, 2026|

If you have walked out of divorce court feeling that something was off, not just unfair, but unfair in a way that seemed tied to your gender, you might be wondering if this is something you can challenge. A gender bias divorce appeal, sometimes referred to as an appeal based on gender prejudice, is a legitimate legal route in this situation. This article explains more.

How to Manage Hidden Assets Found After Divorce

December 4, 2025|

Divorce is supposed to bring closure. You go through months of financial disclosure, the court approves a settlement, and you move on. But what happens if you later discover that your ex wasn’t honest? Hidden assets can completely undermine a financial order, and English law allows you to challenge it if you have proof. If facing this situation, you’re probably wondering how to manage hidden assets found after divorce. This article discusses your next steps and how to pursue a fair legal settlement.

Business Assets in a Divorce

October 22, 2025|

Divorce can be difficult enough without the added pressure of dividing business assets. If you run a limited company, are self-employed, or hold shares in a family business, these assets could be considered part of the matrimonial pot during financial settlement discussions. As such, it’s important to understand how business assets in a divorce could be valued, divided, and potentially protected if you’re going through a separation.

Limited Company Director Divorce

October 22, 2025|

Divorce can be complicated for anyone, but it often becomes even more challenging when one spouse is a company director. Your business may represent years of hard work and could be one of your most valuable assets. Because company shares are usually treated as part of the matrimonial pot, it’s important to understand how a limited company director divorce works, and what steps you can take to protect both your company and your personal finances. At Tyrer Roxburgh, you can speak to a specialist family solicitor through a fixed-fee consultation, giving you clear and practical advice from the outset about how your business may be affected and what options are available to you.

Foreign Property in Divorce and Overseas Assets in Divorce

October 22, 2025|

As international travel and investment have become more common, many separating couples now have property or savings abroad. Owning a holiday home abroad, an investment property, or bank accounts in another country can make financial settlements more difficult to negotiate. Foreign property in divorce and overseas assets in divorce often involve additional legal, tax, and enforcement challenges that don’t apply to UK-based assets. Tyrer Roxburgh’s family law solicitors can guide you through the process and explain how English courts approach assets held overseas. We offer fixed-fee consultations, giving you clear, practical advice on how your international property and investments may be treated during divorce.

Cryptocurrency and Divorce

October 22, 2025|

Cryptocurrency is now a common part of many people’s finances, but when a marriage breaks down, it can raise difficult questions. Digital assets like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other tokens can fluctuate in value, are easily transferred, and may be hard to trace. If you or your spouse hold digital assets, then you may be worried about how they are treated in financial settlements and what steps you can take to protect your position. Tyrer Roxburgh’s family law solicitors offer fixed-fee consultations to explain your options and help you achieve a fair outcome.

Offshore Trust and Divorce

October 22, 2025|

Dividing assets during divorce can be complicated when wealth is held overseas or in complex financial structures. One area that often raises questions is the use of offshore trusts. If you’re facing issues involving an offshore trust and divorce, then you may be wondering how you can protect your position under English law. Tyrer Roxburgh’s family law solicitors offer fixed-fee consultations, giving you clear guidance on what a fair settlement might look like in your situation.

Stock Options and Divorce

October 22, 2025|

Stock options have become a common part of modern pay packages, especially in senior or tech-based roles. They can make a big difference to a person’s overall wealth, but also complicate things if a marriage ends. In cases involving stock options and divorce, questions often come up about when the options were granted, whether they’ve vested, and how they should be valued or divided. Tyrer Roxburgh’s family law solicitors offer fixed-fee consultations to help you understand your rights and options before you reach a financial settlement.

Company Shares and Divorce

October 22, 2025|

When you separate or divorce, all assets need to be taken into account, and that includes any company shares you hold. These might be shares in your own business, shares gifted to you by a family member, or investments in listed companies. You should know how shares are valued, divided, and sometimes offset against other assets if you are about to go through the divorce process. Tyrer Roxburgh’s family law solicitors offer fixed-fee consultations to help you understand your options and make informed decisions from the outset.

Sneaky Divorce Tactics

September 9, 2025|

When a marriage breaks down, emotions often run high. Unfortunately, some ex-partners are tempted to try “sneaky divorce tactics” in the hope of gaining an advantage in financial settlements or child arrangements. Fortunately, these tactics almost always backfire. This article looks at the most common sneaky divorce tactics people try, why they fail, and what can happen if someone is caught using them.

Matrimonial Assets v Non-Matrimonial Assets and Ring-Fencing

September 9, 2025|

When a couple separates or divorces, one of the most important legal issues is how their finances will be divided. The courts in England and Wales look at what property and money should be considered part of the matrimonial pot and what may be kept separate. To help you understand the difference, this article explains what might be shared during a divorce and what could remain outside the financial settlement.

What Should Be Included in a Surrogacy Agreement and Why

September 9, 2025|

A surrogacy agreement is a written document setting out the intentions of both the intended parents and the surrogate before conception or pregnancy begins. While these agreements are not legally enforceable in England and Wales, they remain an important part of the process. A surrogacy agreement is a written document setting out the intentions of both the intended parents and the surrogate before conception or pregnancy begins. While these agreements are not legally enforceable in England and Wales, they remain an important part of the process.

Gay Couples and Adoption

September 5, 2025|

Choosing to adopt is a major step, and you should not have to second-guess the legal process. Tyrer Roxburgh advises on gay couples and adoption at every stage, working with you from the early suitability checks through to the adoption order. We explain how the law works for same sex couples, manage the paperwork, and represent you with the local authority and the court.

Can I Divorce in the UK if I Live Abroad?

September 4, 2025|

If you are living outside the UK but your marriage took place here, you may be wondering, can I divorce in the UK if I live abroad? The answer depends on your personal circumstances, including where you and your spouse live now, where you are both legally “domiciled”, and whether you meet the jurisdiction rules for the family courts in England and Wales.

Children and Same-Sex Family Breakups

September 4, 2025|

When a same-sex relationship breaks down, arrangements for children can get complicated, especially if one parent is not recognised as a legal parent. To ensure a child’s needs are met and their welfare is protected, it’s important to understand who has legal parenting rights and how to secure them if needed. This guide looks at parental responsibility, legal parenthood, adoption and surrogacy scenarios, and how the courts decide child arrangements when same-sex parents separate.

Financial Settlements for LGBT Couples: Advice from a LGBT Divorce Lawyer

September 4, 2025|

Ending a marriage, civil partnership, or long-term relationship raises questions about how money and assets will be divided. For LGBT couples, there are often additional considerations, especially for those who entered into civil partnerships before same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales in 2014, or for couples who lived together without a formal legal status. Knowing how the courts approach property, pensions, and maintenance is important to help you plan for a fair outcome.

LGBT Parenting: Surrogacy, Adoption and Legal Parenthood for LGBTQ Parents

September 4, 2025|

Family structures in England and Wales have changed greatly in recent years, and the law has developed to recognise different paths to parenthood. For LGBTQ parents, legal parenthood does not always follow automatically from biology. In this article, we explain how the law treats surrogacy, adoption, and step-parenthood, and what steps are needed to secure parental responsibility.

How Does Surrogacy Work in the UK? The Legal Perspective

August 25, 2025|

Many people considering surrogacy start with one question, “How does surrogacy work in the UK?” from a legal perspective? In short, it is a lawful but carefully regulated route to parenthood that balances the welfare of the child with the rights of the surrogate and the intended parents. This article explains the current legal framework in England and Wales, highlights common questions from both heterosexual and same sex couples, and looks at more complex situations.

Is Surrogacy Legal in Britain?

August 25, 2025|

Is surrogacy legal in Britain? Yes, but the rules are specific, and they have changed over time. In England and Wales, the law allows altruistic surrogacy arrangements, but it bans commercial surrogacy and controls who is recognised as the legal parent at birth. This article explains the history of surrogacy law, how the current framework works, and what intended parents and surrogates – whether opposite sex, same sex or single –need to know.

Are Forced Marriage and Arranged Marriage the Same?

August 25, 2025|

Forced marriage and arranged marriage are often spoken about in the same breath, yet they mean very different things in law. Under the law of England and Wales, a forced marriage is a criminal act that removes a person’s freedom to choose a life partner, while an arranged marriage can be perfectly lawful when everyone involved gives free consent. This article explains the legal differences, describes the warning signs, and outlines what kind of help is available, including Legal Aid, when a marriage is forced.

How to Prepare for Divorce

June 2, 2025|

Many people think divorce automatically settles finances, but that’s not the case in the UK. The divorce itself is one process, and the financial settlement is another. You need to prepare for both to best protect your interests. In this article we look at how to prepare for divorce and consider finances, children and living arrangement. 

The Child in Need Plan. Your Questions Answered

May 20, 2025|

When social services become involved with your family, the jargon can feel overwhelming. One term that often raises anxiety is the Child in Need (CIN) Plan. Below, our specialist legal aid child law solicitors from Tyrer Roxburgh answers the questions parents ask most—so you understand what a CIN Plan is, how it works, and what rights you have.

The Divorce Checklist

May 15, 2025|

When preparing for a divorce in England and Wales (whether a sole or joint application), you will need to gather various documents. These fall into three categories: Divorce Application Documents, Financial Settlement Documents, and Child Arrangements Documents. This article includes a detailed checklist for each category, including forms and supporting papers needed for mediation, consent orders, or court proceedings if required.

How to Get a Civil Partnership Dissolution

May 2, 2025|

How to get a Civil Partnership Dissolution? If you’re in the process of ending a civil partnership, you may be worried about paperwork, legal costs, and how the change will affect day-to-day life. Take heart: the process now mirrors the no-fault divorce system so it’s fairly straightforward. We explain How to get a Civil Partnership Dissolution.

What Is Controlling and Coercive Behaviour and How Does It Impact Divorce Proceedings?

April 2, 2025|

Ending a marriage is never easy, and it can become even more challenging if controlling or coercive behaviour is part of the relationship. While the UK now has a no-fault divorce system—meaning you don’t have to prove your spouse did anything wrong to get a divorce—coercive control can still affect how financial issues and child arrangements are decided. This article explains what coercive control is, why it’s illegal, and how it might play a role in your divorce.

Contesting a Care Order or Interim Care Order: How a Child Care Solicitor Can Help

April 2, 2025|

When social services intervene in family life, the court may issue a Care Order or an Interim Care Order (ICO) if they believe a child is experiencing or is at risk of significant harm. In this helpful guide, our skilled child care team at Tyrer Roxburgh explain how a child care proceedings solicitor can assist you in contesting these orders. We also cover the availability of Legal Aid to support your case.

Forced Marriage and the Forced Marriage Protection Order

February 27, 2025|

Forced marriage is illegal in England and Wales and a serious violation of human rights. It happens when a person is coerced, threatened, or manipulated into marriage without their full and free consent. If you, or someone you know is at risk of forced marriage, it is important to act quickly. Forced Marriage Protection Orders (FMPO) can be obtained to safeguard victims.

How to Prepare for a PLO Meeting with Social Services

February 27, 2025|

PLO Meetings with child social services are a very serious stage in the pre-proceedings work of social services. It’s a meeting that occurs before deciding whether to take a matter to court. Understanding what a PLO Meeting entails, what to expect, and how a child care proceedings solicitor can help you is essential in ensuring the best possible outcome for your family.

Is a Child Arrangement Order Legally Binding?

February 27, 2025|

Disputes regarding children following parental separation or divorce are often some of the most challenging. Emotions tend to be heightened when it comes to your children, but it is important to get arrangements in place for their stability. Legal disputes regarding child living arrangements and who they spend time with are often resolved through the use of a Child Arrangement Order.

What is a Separation Agreement? The Separation Agreement Explained

January 9, 2025|

A Separation Agreement is essentially a written contract between two parties, whether married or cohabitating, who have decided to end their relationship and live apart. It outlines the mutually agreed-upon terms, including rights and responsibilities of each party during the separation period.

How To Tell Children About Divorce

January 9, 2025|

Here at Tyrer Roxburgh Solicitors, our skilled and compassionate family law team has assisted many families in processing divorce and coming out the other side. We understand that there are difficult conversations to be had, which is why we have put together this thoughtful and informative note with 10 tips on how to tell your children about divorce.

Is future inheritance considered in divorce settlement?

November 19, 2024|

Divorce can be challenging and emotionally charged, particularly when it comes to the division of assets. Deciding who gets what when it comes to property, pensions, business interests, etc. may seem complex enough. Inheritance can be a significant financial asset, and many individuals wish to ensure that their inherited wealth remains protected, especially in the event of a divorce.

Is there a reasonable excuse to breach a Child Arrangement Order?

November 7, 2024|

A Child Arrangement Order sets out the terms for how parents will share care for their child. It's a legally binding document and breaching it can have serious consequences. However, life is unpredictable. There may be circumstances where breaching a Child Arrangement Order is unavoidable.

Breach of Special Guardianship Orders

October 17, 2024|

Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs) are a type of legal order in the UK that grants an individual or couple parental responsibility for a child. They are typically used when a child cannot live with their birth parents and provide a more secure arrangement than fostering. However, a breach of a Special Guardianship Order to come from either the special guardian or the birth parent(s).

How Long can a Spouse Drag out a Divorce?

July 17, 2024|

"How long can a spouse drag out a divorce?" is a common question when dealing with divorce cases. Divorce proceedings can be particularly challenging, especially when one spouse intentionally prolongs the process which can lead to increased stress and financial strain. Why does it happen? The reasons vary but include the former spouse doesn't want to divorce and therefore won't engage in the process, the deluded misconception that not engaging will result in no agreement and therefore the financial status quo can remain or the most common reason......they are just being really awkward.

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