- January 8th is named the most popular day to engage divorce proceedings. See more at http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/divorce-day-date-january-8-marriage-end-start-legal-proceedings-most-popular-lawyers-solicitors-a8139251.html
- The Right Honourable Sir Matthew Thorpe has provided helpful insight into the benefits and disadvantages on Family Law in the event of a no deal Brexit. Sir Matthew Thorpe emphasises the importance of the European Judicial Network and its perhaps underappreciated success of the last decade in creating a network and strong working relationship between 27 European member states that has had an invaluable impact on European Family Law issues. See Sir Matthew Thorpe’s full article at https://www.familylaw.co.uk/news_and_comment/brexit’s-impact-on-international-family-law-an-unconsidered-dimension
- The Court of Appeal provides helpful guidance and a determination in the making of Hadkinson Orders in the case of De Gafforj (appeal-Hadkinson Order) [2018] EWCA Civ 2070 Sir Justice Peter Jackson provides clarity on when a Hadkinson Order might be appropriate. A Hadkinson Order is an Order that the Court may make to prevent another party from bringing an application or seeking a remedy from the Court until such time as they have complied with the standing directions made by the Court. In the case concerned the husband had failed to comply with maintenance obligations despite having been in a position to meet those maintenance obligations. The husband had sought an application challenging jurisdiction on the wife’s Petition to divorce in England on the basis that jurisdiction was seized by France relying upon Article 3 Brussels 2a. The Court of Appeal made an Order in principle allowing the husband only to pursue his challenge of jurisdiction in the divorce on the condition that he paid sums outstanding to the wife and her costs by the date determined by the Court failing which his claim would be dismissed.
- Hearty congratulations from WGS Solicitors on the appointment of Mrs Justice Theis who was this month appointed as a senior Family Liaison Judge for the next four years. Mrs Justice Theis assumes this role in addition to her responsibility as the Family Division Liaison Judge for the London and Thames Valley Circuit.
- The family team at WGS is pleased to note the long awaited and proposed legislative change in respect of civil partnerships – following the successful Supreme Court application by Rebecca Seinfeld and Charles Keidan to enable heterosexual couples to enter into a civil partnership, the Government has announced its support to implementing legislation to extend civil partnerships for opposite sex couples. There is recently some suggestion, from Sir Edward Lee MP, that the legislative change should extend not only to opposite sex couples but to sibling couples. This is in line with Resolution and the Government’s wish for there to be greater public awareness and recognition of the rights of all cohabiting family structures.
- On 18 July 2018 Mark Gilmartin joined as a partner in the Matrimonial Department of WGS Solicitors. Mark recently joined WGS Solicitors from a Legal 500 firm in North London and brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in complex Financial Remedy Children Law matters. “I am very pleased to have joined WGS Solicitors. The firm has had an established and strong reputation in Central West London for over 30 years. It is an extremely friendly firm with experts in a range of areas of law and I am very much looking forward to time here”. – Mark Gilmartin
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