Family Law at 1st
Solicitors
Helen Jackson has been providing quality specialist advice to families in Staffordshire with professionalism and sensitivity for many years. The fact that the majority of the new client referrals result from recommendations is testimony to the quality service provided at 1st Solicitors.
1st Solicitors can provide specialist
advice on the breakdown of relationship of all kinds, including
the following:
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Divorce and and Judicial Separation
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Children's issues
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Custody and Access
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Domestic Abuse and Violence
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Rights to property and maintenance
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Cohabitation or living together
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Gay and lesbian relationships
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Mediation
At 1st Solicitors, we will also advise on the best method of addressing your particular difficulties and, in addition, make applications to court when required and make referrals to mediation. We also offer a Collaborative Law Service. In Collaborative Law, the parties agree not to go to court and issues are resolved directly in a series of meetings of the parties and their Collaborative Lawyers.
Divorce
The end of a marriage is often a time of distress, fear
for the future and grief.
And the divorce itself is only one of many issues which
may need to be addressed. We can guide you through this
difficult time with sensitivity and understanding. We endorse
the Code of practice of Resolution: First for Family Law
(formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association). We can
offer comprehensive advice on divorce and separation, and
on their implications.
Children
Children can so easily be damaged by adult disputes
We know how important your children are. We can help you
to resolve disputes about all aspects of their care and
welfare including Residence and Contact (formerly Custody
and Access) and Parental Responsibility . Many fathers
may be unaware that they do not automatically have Parental
Responsibility (parental rights) if their child's birth
was registered before 1st December 2003 and they were not
married to the mother.
Domestic Abuse and Violence
Abuse takes place in all kinds of relationships.
Domestic abuse can include actual violence but also inappropriate
sexual behaviour express or implied threats or emotional
abuse or ‘mind games’. It can have a debilitating
affect on you and on children, even if not directed at them.
We provide a sympathetic and confidential service to victims,
and to those accused of abuse and advise on your protection
and occupation of the family home.
Living Together
Many people believe that after cohabiting or living together
for some time, partners have rights to property as Common
Law Husband and Wife. They don’t!
In relation to financial issues, pensions and often in relation
to children, their rights are quite different and are almost
always inferior to those of married couples.We offer advice
when you need it.Not just at the end of a relationship but
when you contemplate buying property together.
Same Sex Relationships
As from the 5th December 2006, same sex couples who choose to register their civil partnership have rights very similar to married couples in relation to children, property and financial issues. If the relationship breaks down then the grounds for dissolution of the partnership are very similar to divorce and, on dissolution, the parties have rights to apply to court for financial settlement.
Mediation
Court proceedings are expensive, and they can make difficult relationships
worse and ultimately result in important decisions about
your home or children being made by someone else.
We support the principles of mediation.We can offer referral
to quality assured mediation services and offer support
and advice alongside mediation. We can advise on the outcome
of mediation and if appropriate formalise your agreement
by Court Order or Separation Agreement.
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