Latest News

A Cheshire-based family law solicitor is reassuring victims of domestic abuse that they will still receive quick and effective action through the courts during the coronavirus pandemic. Current government guidelines require people to work from home where possible, including solicitors and judges, with court proceedings taking place via video conference calls. The National Domestic Abuse […]

Legal aid statistics released by the Ministry of Justice have revealed that Mediation starts increased by 22 per cent between April and June 2019 compared to the same quarter last year. Mediation has been a compulsory requirement in family matters since the government introduced the dramatic reduction in the scope of legal aid in 2012. This came in […]

In May 2018, a new service was launched by the UK Government allowing spouses to apply for divorce proceedings online. Justice minister Lucy Frazer said the changes would ensure people were best supported “through an often difficult and painful time” while moving to online systems would “cut waste, speed up services which can be safely expedited, […]

A Warrington and Cheshire probate solicitor is urging people to start their probate process as soon as possible ahead of large-scale Government changes. The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has begun centralising probate services, with regional registries set to close. The plan is to move probate services to Birmingham, with some administrative work taking place at a second site. This […]

A call for more funding to help a growing number of domestic abuse victims and their children has been welcomed by a partner and family law specialist at Warrington-based Watsons Solicitors. Danny Hudson spoke in the wake of the launch of a Government strategy to end violence against women and girls. The senior family law solicitor […]

Spouses who separate by mutal consent will soon no longer need to apportion blame to get a divorce. A change in the law to enable no-fault divorce is finally to be introduced during the next parliamentary session. The landmark modernisation to the law, announced by Justice Secretary David Gauke, has been welcomed as long-overdue by […]

The number of marriages of opposite sex couples in England and Wales ending in divorce last year fell to the lowest level since 1973, according to latest statistics. Figures just published by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that divorces of opposite-sex couples dropped five per cent to 101,000 in 2017, meaning a total […]

People petitioning for divorce should brace themselves for a longer period of delay in proceedings, as the length of time it takes courts to process them is increasing, a family law expert in Warrington has warned. An increase of nearly one fifth in divorce cases, together with court closures, is behind a ‘worrying’ trend, which […]

When things go wrong in a marriage, the consequences can be far-reaching and emotionally damaging for both parties. Divorce can currently only be granted without a spouse’s consent if they have lived apart for five years, or if the marriage has broken down due to adultery, unreasonable behaviour, or desertion. Even if separation is mutual, […]

A partner and the head of the family department at Watsons Solicitors has completed her term as president of the Warrington Law Society. Catrin Parry, who joined the Warrington law firm in 2007, handed over duties at the AGM, her final engagement in the role. The AGM, which was held at the Park Royal Hotel, was well […]