May 2025 / 26 posts found
The shift towards ADR in English litigation: what does this mean for parties going forward?
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 […]
Warning to anyone who’s divorced over simple mistake that could see your ex get ALL of your pension
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 […]
How to help children cope with the stress of divorce
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 […]
Solicitor Shares Divorce Tips For Successful Co-Parenting
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 […]