Family law covers a multitude of legal areas designed to support and protect you and your loved ones in your time of need. With specialists in the field of adoption, divorce, civil partnerships and domestic violence to name but a few, Morlings’ family law solicitors in Maidstone are experts in their fields and understand how stressful situations can be when they concern your nearest and dearest.
Compassionate, non-judgemental and efficient, our family solicitors work tirelessly to achieve the best outcome possible for you. Eager to listen and understand the intricacies of each unique situation, there is no pressure applied and we will progress at the pace you feel comfortable with.
Our team of experienced family lawyers in Maidstone can help with:
- Wealth protection and prenuptial agreements for soon to be husbands, wives and civil partners, as well as cohabitation agreements for unmarried couples
- Filing and responding to divorce proceedings or civil partnership dissolutions including divorce financial advice for all financial elements that need to be considered
- Any children law issues, including custody, visitation rights and logistics of moving them abroad
- Parenting issues where a parental responsibility order from the court may be needed to ensure both parents have an equal say about decisions affecting their children’s lives, or where there are issues around fertility and surrogacy;
- Family care proceedings where a local authority has indicated an intention to remove your child or to insert them in to the adoption system
- Protecting your family where you have been victims of domestic violence and/or other forms of domestic abuse
Alternatives to Court
We try our hardest to manage our cases calmly and without conflict where possible. In many cases, entering in to court proceedings can be avoided by implementing a strategy of family mediation or collaborative law. This of course will be assessed on its suitability on a case by case basis.
We Need To Talk: Top tips to keep kids' best interests first during divorce or separation from Resolution on Vimeo.
Advising Families Throughout Maidstone, Kent and Beyond
We have offices in Maidstone, Gravesend, Tonbridge, Chatham and Tenterden where we can meet you to discuss your requirements and provide clear family law advice.
We can also offer meetings by Skype for clients who have to travel extensively or who now live abroad. In exceptional circumstances, home visits can also be arranged.
Why Choose our Family Law Solicitors in Maidstone?
Choosing the right local family law solicitor to help you and your family is a daunting task. You need someone you can trust to:
- Listen to your problems
- Provide practical advice that is simple to understand
- Help you make informed decisions about what to do
- Keep you in the loop at all times
- Help reduce stress
Our family law solicitors in Maidstone understand exactly what you are going through and are on hand to provide advice, guidance and emotional support from the moment you need us.
Our specialist team is led by Avril Croud, a dedicated family lawyer with over 30 years’ experience helping families find their way through challenging issues.
We are accredited by the Law Society with the Family Law Accreditation. Avril was one of the first solicitors to be admitted to the Family Panel and is also an accredited Family Law Advanced specialist.
Our team of family law specialists also includes:
- Deborah Nicholson, a qualified collaborative lawyer.
Deborah is also a member of Resolution, a family law network dedicated to helping families find constructive out-of-court settlements to a wide range of problems.
We adhere to the Resolution Code of Conduct to help our clients, so you can expect us to:
- Listen, be honest and treat you with respect.
- Set out all your options so you can make confident decisions about what to do.
- Help you focus on the long-term important things.
- Help you weigh up the costs of achieving the outcome you want, including financial and emotional costs.
- Manage stress.
Our Family Law team has also received the Law Society Children Law Accreditation for our skills representing children in family law proceedings.
Frequently Asked Questions About Family Law
How can we avoid going to court for divorce and other family law issues?
It is generally possible to resolve most family law issues outside of a court setting, either through constructive negotiation or other alternative dispute resolution methods. The most commonly used approaches are mediation, collaborative law and arbitration.
What is mediation?
Mediation is the most commonly used method of alternative dispute resolution for people getting a divorce or dealing with other family law issues. The process involves both parties meeting with a trained neutral mediator who helps to facilitate productive discussion on resolving any points of disagreement, e.g. around finances and arrangements for children.
Mediation usually happens over 3-5 sessions, but this will depend on the complexity of the issues to be resolved. It is advised to speak to a solicitor before entering mediation, so you are clear on your rights. Any agreement reached through mediation should also be reviewed by your solicitor before you accept it.
It is worth noting that an agreement made through mediation is voluntary and not legally binding. However, it can be possible to have the agreement made binding by applying to a court for a Consent Order.
What is collaborative law?
Collaborative law is a form of structured negotiation commonly used for family disputes, such as those arising on divorce. It involves a four-way ‘round the table’ meeting between the two parties and their respective lawyers.
The lawyers must be trained in collaborative law and all parties will need to sign an agreement beforehand confirming that nothing revealed during the process can be used in any subsequent court proceeding if an amicable resolution cannot be reached. The lawyers also would not be able to represent you in any such court proceedings.
Collaborative law can be a good option if there are more complex issues to resolve, such as around your finances. Other professionals, such as accountants and financial advisers, can also be involved in the meetings where this would be beneficial.
What is family arbitration?
Family arbitration involves you and the other party or parties to a dispute agreeing to appoint an independent arbitrator to review your situation and decide what the outcome should be. The arbitrator must have specialist training and all involved parties will need to agree to abide by their decision before starting the process.
Arbitration is a bit like going to court in that you will need to prepare and present your case, usually with the support of a solicitor. However, the proceedings happen in private and can usually be arranged much faster than waiting for a court hearing. The legal costs involved are also generally lower.
How can I make my ex-partner pay for our child?
If your former partner is not meeting their child maintenance obligations, it is usually best to try to resolve the situation amicably first (unless there are strong reasons not to do so, such as a history of domestic abuse). Where a voluntary resolution cannot be reached, you may need to apply to a court for enforcement of child maintenance.
If you need your ex-partner to pay for one-off costs or new ongoing costs, such as school fees, again, you should normally attempt to agree this amicably in the first instance. Should this not prove possible, you may have the option of applying to a court for a decision over whether your child’s other parent should help to meet these costs.
It is recommended to speak to a specialist child law solicitor whenever dealing with such matters to ensure your children’s interests are best protected.
Can Child Arrangement Orders be changed?
Yes, it is possible to apply to a court to vary a Child Arrangements Order, however, you will need to provide evidence as to why this change is in your child or children’s best interests. You could also negotiate a variation to the terms set out in a Child Arrangements Order with your former partner, but unless you have the Order changed by a court, any such agreement would not be binding.
Get in Touch with our Family Law Solicitors in Maidstone, Kent
Call us on 01622 673081 if you need our family law services. Alternatively complete our contact us form and we will be in touch as soon as possible.
If you are in a particularly sensitive situation, please let us know when and via which method it is best to contact you.