Most parents who come to court are not unreasonable. They care about their children, they want things to be fair, and they often have genuine concerns. But again and again, I see cases weakened not because of the underlying facts but because of how those facts are presented. These are the six biggest mistakes I see in children proceedings. None of them are deliberate. All of them are avoidable. Fixing even one or two can materially change how your case is received. 1. Over-re

Witness statements are the most important statements you will write. They are the point in your case where you give the evidence you want the court to take into account. In many ways it’s the part that most of my clients say they are waiting for. Warning: This will be a long one, so buckle up! The ‘want’ to send evidence to court Throughout proceedings and certainly at the very start of their case my clients want the court to immediately view and consider their evidence.

Quite a long time ago now I wrote a blog post which talked about what Mckenzie Friends are, what we do, and how we might assist in your...

Planning ahead: What happens to my child if I die before they become an adult? This is a bit of a morbid one today, as we think about...

It’s sadly all too common that there are mistakes in court orders when they arrive following a hearing, but what can be done about it?...

At First Family Law we often hear from new or prospective clients that they have received a letter / report / email from court that was...

Over the last few months the number of mentions of using AI in family proceedings has increased dramatically both throughout my online...

So you’ve got court for child arrangements coming up in the future, and you’re not quite sure what happens? Well, please see my blog post...

Christmas Day is just a couple of weeks away and it can be a time where emotions run high for separated parents. I wanted to put together...

HELP! I’m being taken to court / I need to apply to court – where to I start? Like you, I never thought I’d have to see the inside of a...

The Voice of the child One of the questions I’m asked most frequently about by the clients that I advise is whether or not the court will...

Family mediation week 16-20 January 2023 The mediation process Mediation is a form of dispute resolution along with arbitration and...

An in-depth look at preparing for your first hearing. I thought I’d write this latest blog post about what to expect on the day. Not so...

1. One of the most common tasks you'll have to undertake when going through family law proceedings is to produce position statements, so...

A controversial post making the case for there being no significant gender bias in the family courts of the UK

Mckenzie friends I regularly get asked what a McKenzie friend is and what is it that I do. Essentially it’s advice and support for people...

My rights! “But it’s against my rights as a mother / father!” How many times do we read that? If you’re a part of the many parenting or...

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS This is not intended an exhaustive list of information, but a starting point with the frequently asked...

There has always been much talk on my group and others about solicitors, indeed it has been one of the most frequently discussed, and...

Most of you are here because you’ve had, or are having issues surrounding levels of contact between separated parents. I’m seeing quite a...