£4.4m divorce settlement upheld by Court of Appeal
December 13, 2011
A divorce settlement made in August of this year was recently been challenged by the husband at the Court of Appeal on the grounds that the division of assets does not fairly reflect the contribution made by each party.
After 26 years and five children, Read more
High Court decision allows husband to keep inheritance
September 10, 2011
A divorce judge has ruled that a wife should not be entitled to a share of £7 million, which was inherited by her husband from his father. Following 25 years of marriage, Mr Justice Moylan ruled that Read more
The right way and the wrong way to divorce
November 12, 2009
Making the decision
The decision to divorce is a painful one that usually happens in one of two ways.
The less traumatic of the two is when either or both parties come to realise that for them the marriage is no longer what they want, that they “have grown apart”
The second situation, far more dramatic, is triggered by a life changing event such as a change in financial situation or more commonly one of the parties meets somebody else or other life changing event.
After the decision
This is when the divorce lawyers are appointed.
Whatever the events that have led to the decision being made, for the sake of everyone concerned, especially when children are involved, the next stage needs to be handled correctly. A good relationship with your solicitor will make all the difference. He/she is looking after your interests and those of your children.
Listen to the advice that your solicitor/lawyer gives you, they are there to guide you through the legal divorce process, the level of their input will be set out clearly at the beginning, starting with a budget DIY divorce.
After the event
The period during the divorce proceedings is an incredibly emotive time for you and your family. Whatever triggered the actual event, once it is over and the divorcees can go their respective ways, it will be so much easier to start a new life if the divorce was well managed. A good divorce lawyer will be able to take a lot of the worry and the stress out of the practical arrangements and leave you to concentrate on getting on with your new life.
Divorce – Courage to accept and move on….
October 10, 2009
Divorce used to be a taboo in the olden days because the society was restrictive and the minds were conservative. But the society has come forward a lot now. Divorce is now acceptable but it is still commonplace to consider it as an end of an era. Usually divorce is equated with failure, but then it is also common for people to look at glass as being half empty.
Think about the couple who are going through the rough road of a traumatic relationship every day of their life. A divorce will actually bring a hope for a new beginning and a drive to move on. In fact, one should give credit to the couple who decide to take the option of divorce because they accept their mistake in judgement and thereby rectify it. Everyone has a right to live happily and if divorce opens the doors to a better living then why not?
Divorce is an emotional roller coaster ride but it can also end up being a financially unpleasant exercise if not tackled by experienced divorce solicitors. It would not be wrong to say that a qualified and competent divorce lawyer can change an extremely upsetting decision of life into a mutually amicable affair. Experienced divorce lawyers understand that the legal formalities of obtaining a divorce should not add on to the already existing pain. They make sure that the process is as hassle free as possible. If divorce was the road to a happier and a positive life then an experienced divorce lawyer would make sure you got there quickly enough.
Choosing the right divorce lawyer
September 26, 2009
Divorce can be very expensive, both for the applicant and the respondent, and one of the most expensive costs associated with divorce is the divorce lawyer. However, no matter how much your divorce lawyer may cost, you would end up spending a lot more in the long run if you choose an inferior divorce lawyer to that used by your former spouse.
Choosing the right divorce lawyer is crucial, and you shouldn’t be driven on price. Another thing to note is that one law firm cannot represent you both, so if you have a clear favourite or an award winning law firm in your area, act sooner rather than later because if you don’t you could up going up against your first choice for a divorce lawyer.
When you speak with a divorce lawyer, ask questions. Ask them what they would do and how they would handle your case. Be sure that you’re satisfied before you give them the work.
Another tip, and this one is sneaky, is that even if you don’t employ a divorce lawyer, if you have consulted with them they cannot act for your other half. If you see several divorce lawyers looking to hire one, your other half cannot use any of them!
The Divorce Haven of Europe
September 25, 2009
According to a senior family lawyer, England is fast becoming the ‘divorce capital of Europe’. Lady Deech, chairperson of the Bar Standards Board, says that the system is not only paternalistic, but unprincipled. Following a divorce after only a few years of marriage, huge assets can be divided equally, irrespective of when the income assets were accrued, and by whom. This is sending out completely the wrong message, claims Lady Deech
Lady Deech says that settlement which favour ex-wives at the expense of their former husbands are wrong. She said that the law courts were full of women who were married for a short period of time, with no real qualifications, and who were walking away with millions of pounds following a divorce from a footballer or celebrity. Lady Deech says that at a time when women are being encouraged to earn as much money as men, and take top jobs, that this sends out entirely the wrong message. Splitting assets which could include pensions and inheritances, which are acquired after marriage, and not before marriage, should be the approach which judges should consider. She is encouraging the government to change the divorce laws to make a system which is fairer and which also wastes far less money.
Judges are already advised to view divorce proceedings from the perspective of a fifty- fifty split, and many recognise that women who have been married for just a short time should not be compensated in the same manner as for long marriages.
Millionaire told he doesn’t have to pay extra to his ex-wife
June 26, 2009
A man who recently sold his company for £3.8 million has been told that he doesn’t have to give any of the money to his ex-wife. Martin and Kim Walkden were divorced in 2006 after twenty years of marriage, with Kim receiving £482,000 in the divorce settlement after Martin’s company, Triesse, was valued at £800,000.
However, Martin worked hard on his company and has just sold it for £3.8 million, prompting his ex-wife to drag him back to the divorce courts, trying to claim a bigger share of his money.
The judge ruled however that the settlement was made in 2006 based on a fair value for the company, and Kim Walkden shouldn’t be able to profit from the increased value of her ex-husband’s business, the same as Brian Myerson wasn’t able to reduce his divorce settlement two months previously after he claimed he was suffering with the recession.
Martin Walkden personally received £1,758,199 from the sale of his company and will be delighted to hear that he doesn’t have to share that with his ex-wife, as she has already been paid half of the value of their company when valued in 2006.
Birmingham ready for Divorce Show in September
May 18, 2009
Birmingham is gearing up for a divorce show later this year, the first of its kind in the UK.
If you’re wondering what a divorce show is, it’s a bit like a wedding show, but without the photographers and wedding dresses. You’ll find divorce solicitors, financial advisors, property advisors and basically any service you might need to help you through a divorce.
Sounds like fun doesn’t it?
The Divorce Show is being held in the NEC in Birmingham and is expected to attract 20,000 couples, or soon to be ex couples. The idea for the show came from Bryan Powell and Catherine Castle, both are divorcees themselves.
The UK suffers from one of the highest rates of divorce in the world with roughly 140,000 people in the UK going through divorce every year.
Catherine Castle explained:
The whole experience for the both of us was a powerful learning process. It’s a very prevalent sector and there aren’t the resources out there to show people what options are available.
We want to help people to find the right framework, to help them through the process and to discover if divorce is the right path for them to follow.
The show will feature around 200 exhibitors offering services targeted towards divorcing couples:
Visitors will include those who are simply questioning their marital status or wanting to repair a relationship breakdown
If you want to find out about the Divorce Show you can visit the website here.
