When a marriage is headed towards a point of no return, with divorce as the only way out, many people assume it’s because of explosive fights or a lack of intimacy. While these are certainly relevant, they are just surface-level issues. The main root cause is subtler than you think. The crack in a relationship may not always come from an explosive reason, but from things shoved under the carpet. They keep taking up space until the marriage feels too claustrophobic. ALSO READ ON HEALTHSHOTS: Living with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Is it good to exercise? Relationship coach Jon Dabach, who […]

Written by Emily Brand, Partner, Arbitrator and Head of the family team, and Alexandra Hirst, Senior Associate, at Boodle Hatfield LLP  There can be no more gratifying an experience for a professional advisor than delivering advice which is not only correct but well received. Family practitioners will recall all too well the sense of anxiety and trepidation with which new clients would enter initial meetings, embarrassed and nervous about being compelled to consider how to set out in a sterile Court form the fact of an affair or to be compelled to instruct a complete stranger to draft the particulars […]

The day my parents officially announced they were divorcing, I was newly 30. It was, if I’m completely honest, a relief. They had already been separated for about two years by this point, a long, acrimonious process that grew even more caustic after my mother moved out of our family home. Before the ink dried on their divorce papers, I cried. Things were different for Ellie Coverdale, whose parents’ divorce shook her world when she turned 23. Now 36, Coverdale can still recall the precise moment she was told. “It was over a video call,” she says. “I was in […]

I met a policeman recently, who happens to be a great example of how to be your best self in divorce.  This man went through a divorce 8 years ago and his youngest child just turned 18 after graduating high school.  His child support orders are through. Over! He never has to pay his wife child support ever again. But, read on. The man spent a little time discussing the divorce process with me.  He and his wife each had their own lawyers, and they each spent quite a lot of money going through the paces that their lawyers advised. […]

Watch more of our videos on ShotsTV.com and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565 Visit Shots! now Research carried out in late 2023 found that almost half of all divorcees experience a 31% income reduction, and with this, a top divorce lawyer has exposed the financial considerations that leave ex-couples financially devastated for years after splitting up. Amar Ali, managing director at Reiss Edwards, says that rushing financial settlements during divorce can lead to money troubles and potential regret down the line. “Rushing through divorce proceedings, especially with emotions involved, could mean you miss critical details. These could be pensions, shared […]

Learn how to make your divorce less stressful With divorce rates climbing and legal costs soaring, Mark Keenan, the Founder & CEO of Divorce-Online.co.uk, has released a new guide revealing the Top 10 Tricks Smart Brits Use to Divorce Faster, Cheaper, and With Less Stress With UK divorce rates still rising and the average cost of a contested split running into the thousands, a family law expert has shared ten practical tips that can save separating couples time, money, and a whole lot of stress. Mark Keenan, Founder and CEO of Divorce-Online.co.uk, has worked in the divorce sector for more […]

A coffee cup sparks divorce! Woman files for divorce after ChatGPT reveals husband’s infidelity through a seemingly innocent cup. AI’s unexpected discovery changes everything. New Delhi: In a bizarre twist of modern technology, a Greek man’s marriage has been jeopardised by advice from an artificial intelligence chatbot. People used to manage their own activities, but today, both physical and cerebral tasks are increasingly entrusted to computers. Computers are gradually taking over cognitive activities, increasing demand for chatbots and artificial intelligence, both of which have a substantial impact on our daily lives. A recent event in Greece exemplifies this influence when […]

A new administrators’ report covering the closing weeks of a claims firm has lifted the lid on missed payments, creditor wrath and allegations of misleading financial statements. Manchester-based Sandstone Legal entered administration in February when specialists from Smith & Barnes Insolvency Practitioners were appointed. They have now published the first statement of proposals and outlined details of the final knockings of the firm. Sandstone Legal was incorporated in 2017 and specialised in flight compensation, PPI, housing disrepair and debt recovery. All claims were handled on a no win, no fee basis and the company sought funding from third parties to […]

Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller faces a battle over his £450 million fortune after his wife Natalie Swanston filed for divorce. Ms Swanston, 44, has cited ‘irreconcilable differences’ as the reason for the split after months of Hollywood rumours that they were living separate lives. The couple, who have three children and married in a star-studded ceremony 17 years ago, signed a pre-nuptial agreement but it is anticipated the break-up could prompt a financial fight. Interior designer Ms Swanston has requested spousal support from Mr Fuller, 64, but documents reportedly show she wants to stop a court awarding the same […]

Family lawyers have been watching the case of Standish vs Standish unfold for several years, culminating in a Supreme Court hearing that lasted almost two days – 30 April to 1 May 2025. It is firstly important to understand what the law understands property and finances within a marriage to be: are they owned jointly, even if they are in one partner’s sole name? How is this agreed upon at the point of divorce? When it comes to divorce and separation, finances are often an area of tension. Where either or both parties have amassed wealth and assets before the […]

From 1 October 2024, following a revision to the Civil Procedure Rules (CPR), the English courts are now clearly empowered to order parties to engage in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) to resolve their disputes, rather than simply encourage this to happen. The change itself is perhaps neither unexpected nor controversial. The real question is what difference will it make in practice? Background The CPR amendment stems from the recent Court of Appeal decision in Churchill v. Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council [2023] EWCA Civ 1416 (November 2023). The case concerned a dispute between neighbours, Mr Churchill and Merthyr Tydfil Council (the […]

ANYONE divorcing needs to make a key pension check or all their savings could end up with their former partner. Many people don’t realise that pension benefits are not usually included in your will. 1 Pensions savings can be worth a big chunk of your wealth It means that if you die before taking a private pension, your provider will be left to decide where the cash goes. This is unless divorcees fill out an ‘expression of wishes’. This simple form tells your provider your preference over where money goes in the event you pass. You often fill one in […]

SEPARATION and divorce can be among the most stressful experiences a family can face. From worries about money to logistics about who will live where, it can be a worrying time for everyone involved. There might be bad feelings and tensions between parents and their families which children can easily pick up on, causing them to feel upset or even blaming themselves for the break-up. At Childline, it’s an issue our counsellors hear a lot about. In 2024/25 they handled 1,121 counselling sessions across the UK about parental divorce and separation. One 14-year-old girl told counsellors: “Since my parents split […]

  Divorce happens to tens of thousands of couples each year in the UK. Yet when parents split up, there is one common mistake that can cause havoc for those with children. According to Georgina McCluskey, solicitor at Ribet Myles, one of the biggest blunders she sees is when parents try to “erase” the other parent from their child’s lives – whether inadvertently or not. Some of the signs of this include: removing family photos from around the home, not engaging much with the other parent, and bad-mouthing them in front of their child. “This can cause further distress to […]

Stewart Burrows, partner and head of dispute resolution and litigation at SAS Daniels discusses various alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods to prevent a trial going to court. Although ADR is not currently deemed as mandatory, the court encourages parties to a dispute to attempt settlement by ADR, the advantage being it will save both time and money. There are various types of ADR available, the most common being: Joint settlement meeting The parties can engage in a joint meeting, often informal, to discuss the issues pertinent to the dispute, either before or after a court claim has been issued. The […]

Divorce doesn’t just end a relationship — it unravels a long-held identity. In that unraveling lies … More the first real chance to feel, reflect and rebuild. Many men begin engaging with their emotions only after a significant disruption, most commonly divorce. This shift often follows a loss of previously effective coping mechanisms like work or distraction. The delay is not due to a lack of emotion but reflects sociocultural norms that discourage emotional expression in men. From early development, boys are often taught to associate vulnerability with weakness and stoicism with strength. In heterosexual relationships, this can lead to […]