David Starkey

With the introduction of no-fault divorce back in April 2022, one of the new measures put in place by the court was the ability for individuals to be able to make a joint divorce application together. This was largely done in an attempt by...

Winter is coming, and with that, Christmas will soon be upon us. Making contact arrangements for children over the holiday period can be a difficult task for separated parents. However, as difficult as it may be, you are better to address it early as doing...

Domestic abuse over recent years has become a much more widely discussed topic within society, with increasing recognition for male sufferers of domestic abuse, such as in the recent Channel 5 documentary ‘My Wife, My Abuser’. Family...

Nuptial agreements – Is it right for me and what should I look out for? Pre-nuptial agreements are becoming more and more common now for couples within the UK. In the 1980’s, on average only 1.5% of newly married couples would look to...

Christmas is traditionally a time for families to come together and spend time together, however, it can be a difficult time for those parents who are separated or in the middle of a divorce and especially difficult for their children. In order to...

We are pleased to introduce Andrew Campbell, a new solicitor in our family department. Andrew is a qualified solicitor and has worked in family law for much of his legal career. He has recently joined our experienced family team and is equipped to deal with...

Parents must try to work together to agree any changes needed to contact arrangements for their children during these difficult times. 1. Make use of social media and video conferencing apps (Facetime, Skype etc.). This may need to be used more often than...

The Divorce Reform Act 1969 enabled people to end marriages that had “irretrievably broken down” without having to prove fault. Couples could end marriages after two years of separation, if both parties desired divorce, or five years if only one...

Shortly after we began our relationship my (now) fiancee, who grew up in Sussex before travelling and then settling in Australia, made it clear that she hoped to return to the UK someday – and that she wanted me to come with her. At first I felt some...

Are the costs consequences of not accepting an offer to settle about to change? In financial remedy proceedings ancillary to divorce, the general rule is that each party is responsible for their own legal costs and the court will only make a costs...

It is normal that where a marriage has broken down, there is usually at least one party feeling angry, sad, disappointed, or a mixture of all of those things. It is therefore very easy for a divorce, and any associated financial or children related...

A recent pilot divorce administration system run in the South West Regional Divorce Centre in Southampton, under which contested financial remedy proceedings are ‘de-linked’ from the main divorce proceedings has proved a success. Under the...

The case of Wyatt and Vince has recently highlighted the importance of obtaining an Order dealing with financial matters during divorce proceedings. Mr Vince and Ms Wyatt met as students in their early twenties and married in 1981. The pair had a son...

Many people have never set foot inside a court building and wouldn’t dream of doing so without a lawyer to guide them through the process. However, more so than ever before, people are having to represent themselves in family court cases. If you find...

At John Hodge Solicitors we understand that clients facing divorce or financial disputes following the breakdown of a relationship are likely to be experiencing a period of emotional and financial turmoil. We are therefore delighted to announce that,...