School admissions season – what happens if we disagree?

Posted on 19th January 2023 by McAlister Family Law

School admissions season – What happens if we disagree?

January is never an easy month. It is one of the few times in the year where two 31-day months follow one after the other, spring feels like a lifetime away and pay day even further. On top of that, it’s school administration season. Here, Michael Compston looks at what happens if parents cannot agree on a school and how the choice can be made both inside and outside the court.

The local authority deadlines vary from authority to authority, but generally primary school deadlines are in place for the middle of January. Miss that deadline and your child runs the risk of not being accepted into their first-choice school and the application being considered as a late application.

Secondary school applications tend to run on a slightly different timetable, with deadlines being earlier in the academic year. However, we find that secondary school applications follow a more structured process as children/parents tend to be guided through this by the primary school during the child’s final year.

Children getting ready for primary school do not always have that information or guidance readily available, so this blog aims to consider how to resolve any issues arising out of primary school admissions.

Most if not all Local Authorities now process these applications online. The process is fairly straightforward; you go to the prospective schools, decide which ones you like or do not like, then select those schools in preferential order.

But what happens if you and the child’s other parent disagree? If you both have parental responsibility for a child, then it is incumbent on you both to come to a decision together. One of you may favour the school with strong academics or greater extra-curricular provision, whereas the other favours the school with more green space or a better pupil to teacher ratio. If you cannot agree on the preference order, how do you resolve matters?

Outside of court

The first solution is a simple one. Talk to each other. It might sound simple but actually discussing your preferences and why you think one school is better than the other can open up topics for discussion that you might not have considered.

If you are not able to reach a decision by discussing the matter between yourselves, then another option is to attend mediation. Mediators are trained to facilitate discussion between parents across a broad range of matters, not just limited to discussions around child contact. They can offer a neutral perspective and encourage back and forth discussion between the two of you.

Court proceedings

Should mediation not work, then the last recourse is to ask the court to make a decision by making a Specific Issue Order to decide that specific point. Alternatively, if the other parent is refusing to allow you access to the application and is preparing to submit the application themselves, it could be an application for a Prohibited Steps Order to prevent them submitting the application. Either way, both applications would be considering the same thing – what is in the best interests of the child.

This can be a costly exercise and a time-consuming exercise too. You are essentially asking the court to make a decision that, ultimately, is about what is best for the child. The court has not met your child, the court does not have the knowledge of the schools that the parents have, so you must think carefully before asking the court to intervene and make a decision that will have a long-lasting effect on your child’s education; if the child remains in their school, they will be in primary for seven years or secondary for five, so it is an important decision.

If you do end up in court proceedings, the court must consider what is in the child’s best interests. The court would almost certainly say initially that this is a decision that the parents should come to themselves; after all, the parents know the child better than the court. You would most likely both need to prepare witness statements on why you consider that your order of schools is the most suitable and then be prepared to argue your case in front of a judge.

Whilst this is very much a last resort, it is important to remember that this is the last recourse for the court. If you cannot agree, the court will likely want order you both to give evidence. It is far, far better if you can resolve matters between yourselves, with or without the help of a mediator, rather than reverting to the court process.

One Final Thought

Throughout all of these avenues for resolving any dispute on school choices, it is important to remember that the ultimate decision on where a child goes to school is down to the Local Authority in terms of state schools. The order of preferences is still important, as it will help to inform the decision of the Local Authority, but the decision is ultimately one for them.

If you need advice on this topic, or any other matters concerning divorce or family law, please get in touch with our team at McAlister Family Law.

Noel Gallagher and Sara MacDonald to divorce after 22 years – Does the length of marriage matter?

Posted on 16th January 2023 by McAlister Family Law

Noel Gallagher and Sara MacDonald to divorce after 22 years – Does the length of marriage matter?

Noel Gallagher, Manchester born former Oasis member, and his wife, Sara MacDonald have announced that they are to divorce following a marriage of 22 years. Here Weronika Husejko looks at how the length of a marriage can impact divorce proceedings.

The former couple married in 2011, having begun their relationship in 2001. They have two children together, Donovan, aged 15 and Sonny aged 12, both of whom are still dependent.

It is a commonly queried whether the length of a marriage has any relevance within a divorce financial settlement. The short answer to this question would be yes.

When a Judge considers a financial settlement, they must consider section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. Section 25, amongst other things, specifies that a Judge must in particular have regard to the duration of the couples’ marriage.

What does this mean in practice?

Generally speaking, a marriage usually falls into one of three brackets, that being either a short term, medium term or long term marriage.

A short term marriage would usually be considered to be one of up to 5 years. It should be noted however that a couple cannot divorce until they have been married for a minimum of 1 year. It is more likely that the financial settlement in a short term marriage will take into consideration pre acquired assets. A “clean break” may be considered to be more appropriate in these circumstances. However, this may not always be the case, especially if there are dependent children involved, in which case the focus would be on ensuring that the children’s needs are met.

A medium term marriage would generally be viewed as around 10 years.

Noel and Sara’s marriage would most likely be considered to be a long marriage on the basis that they began living together around 2001, their marriage being a total of 22 years. This is because a period of cohabitation that moves seamlessly into marriage will also be taken into account by the Courts, when considering the length of the marriage.

A longer marriage of this nature can often be more complex when it comes to the financial settlement. The Courts may take a different approach when dividing matrimonial assets in this type of case, compared to that of a short or medium term marriage. By way of example, it is far less likely for the Court to consider Noel and Sara’s respective contributions to the marriage. As a result, it may be that there will be an equal division of assets, unless it is necessary to move away from a 50-50 split to meet the need of one of the spouses.

It may be that Noel and Sara have a pre nuptial agreement, in which case this may be taken into consideration by the Courts, and therefore may have an impact upon the overall financial settlement.

In any event, the Court’s primary interest in their case will be in ensuring that the needs of both Donovan and Sonny are met.

If you need advice on this topic, or any other matters concerning divorce issues, please get in touch with our private child team at McAlister Family Law.

We cannot agree on counselling for our child – What will the court decide?

Posted on 12th January 202312th January 2023 by McAlister Family Law

We cannot agree on counselling for our child – What will the court decide?

According to statistics, nearly one in 10 children and young people are affected by a mental health problem. The good news is that there is now more awareness of this issue and a number of resources available to children and young people who may be suffering. Here, Melissa Jones looks at what the court can decide if parents cannot agree on counselling for their child?

Understandably, separation and divorce can be a difficult and anxious time for children. They might feel confused and believe they need to “pick sides”. They might also believe that the separation of their parents is “their fault” and might be feeling guilty.

Where does this leave you?

Decisions on a child attending counselling would fall under the umbrella of medical decisions. If you both agree, then great, they would attend counselling. If only one parent agrees, this does not necessarily mean that the counselling should go ahead and with such important decisions is not advisable to act unilaterally. This issue should be agreed upon by all of those with parental responsibility for the child(ren).

What is Parental Responsibility?

Under section 3 (1) of the Children Act 1989 “parental responsibility” means all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property.

What application do I need to make?

In the absence consent from all those who hold parental responsibility, a parent may wish to apply to the court for a Specific Issue Order, for the court’s permission to enable them to make decisions about the child in the absence of the other parent’s consent.

The application that would need to be made comes under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989 and is for a specific issue application; to specifically address what is the best interests of the children’s education and medical matters. Within the proceedings evidence shall be put forward by both parents to set out how their proposal is in the children’s best interests.

However, prior to making an application, the court would encourage the parties to engage in Alternative Dispute Resolution, to see if matters can be resolved. It may be that if you have spoken to a medical professional or a GP who highly recommends that the child or children attend counselling then you may be better assisted in your discussions with the other parent or in any application to the court.

Most importantly it would be best to understand why the other parent objects to the child(ren) attending counselling. Perhaps they need more information first or would like to speak to the counsellor themselves either on their own or jointly with you.

What will the court decide?

If matters relating to a child’s medical care are put before the Court, the matter then becomes a question of what is best for the child and not what is best for the parents. The Court’s primary consideration will be the needs of the child and will have regard to the Welfare Checklist (s.1 (3) CA 1989) when reaching their decisions. Arguably attending Counselling for the child might be in the child’s best interest and a vital resource to help them deal with their mental health issues. Conversely, it might not be necessary for the child to attend counselling and it may be considered intrusive and invasive given their age, characteristics and understanding. It is of course a balancing act.

Can I not just take them to counselling anyway?

However, if one parent has taken matters in their own hands and begins the process of making medical decisions without the other parents’ consent, that would not be perceived well by the court. In fact, if you choose to ignore the other parent’s views or objections, then they in turn could make an application to the family court to prevent you from making the child(ren) available for counselling. This also comes under Section 8 of the Children Act 1989 and would be for a prohibited steps order; to prohibit the child(ren) from attending counselling.

In all cases and at all times parents are strongly encouraged not just to communicate their wishes, but to co parent effectively for the best interests of their children.

If you need advice on this topic, or any other matters concerning children issues, please get in touch with our private child team at McAlister Family Law.

Resource: https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/young-people-stats.html#riskfactors

What will I stand to get out of the matrimonial assets?

Posted on 15th December 2022 by McAlister Family Law

What will I stand to get out of the matrimonial assets?

With the United Kingdom on the cusp of a cost-of-living crisis and inflation at record highs, divorcing couples will likely face concerns now more than ever as to how finances are to be treated upon divorce. The biggest question on the minds of divorcing couples is often, ‘what will I stand to get out of the matrimonial assets?’ Here, Aaron Williams looks at what the court considers when looking at how to divide assets on divorce and how they aim to meet the ‘needs’ of each party involved.

So, what does the Court consider when looking at how to divide assets on divorce?

As with many things, there is no one size fits all answer to separating matrimonial assets. The principal aim of the court is to ensure that there is ‘fairness’. Unfortunately, fairness has a broad horizon in the context of family law, and it is largely left to the discretion of the judge as to the outcome of the matter.

The court has a duty to consider all circumstances of a case, this is done so using the principal piece of legislation in divorce; that of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, in particular the factors listed in section 25(2)(a) – (h) which can be found here: – https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1973/18/section/25

The phrase ‘needs trumps all’ is often cited when assets are limited assets in matrimonial finance cases. The starting point in any matrimonial finance case is to consider an equal division of what has been built up by the parties during the marriage; however, an equal division of assets is not always appropriate in every case to achieve fairness.

So where does that leave separating couples? Well matters largely come down to the circumstances of the parties, the standard of living and the resources available to meet needs. What was enough to meet the needs of one household may not necessarily be enough to meet two.

When settling the matrimonial assets, there is no discrimination between separating couples regarding their respective roles in the relationship. For example, where one party has typically taken the breadwinner role, whilst the other party is the home maker, their roles are to be regarded as equal irrespective of what they have contributed financially.

So, how does the court implement section 25 of the matrimonial causes act?

When assessing how to separate who should have what proportion of the assets of the marriage, the first consideration of the court is that of the needs of any children.

The court then look to meeting the needs of both parties, principally looking to ensure that each person’s housing needs, and income needs are met.

Looking at the matter holistically the court will principally consider the financial needs, obligations, and responsibilities which each of the parties to the marriage have or is likely to have in the foreseeable future (s.25(2)(b) MCA 1973). The court will look at the general resources of the parties and will broadly separate the needs of parties into capital needs and income needs. Capital needs, is often that of significant single capital outlays, purchasing a property, furnishings, replacement car etc. Income needs is that of the day-to-day costs that parties require on a monthly basis to live.

When trying to determine whether the parties have the means to meet these needs, the court will consider Income, earning capacity, property and other financial resources which each of the parties to the marriage has or is likely to have in the foreseeable future. Commonly referred to as the financial disclosure process, the parties are expected to provide ‘full and frank’ financial disclosure. This includes determining through the assistance of expert evidence or agreeing by consent, the value of any assets owned by the parties, including property, businesses, trust assets, chattels, and pensions. The court will also need to ascertain the parties’ respective incomes, whether they have to capacity to increase their income, receive a bonus etc. The process ultimately aims to ensure that no stone is left unturned.

With all this in consideration the court has a great deal of flexibility to in their approach to financial settlement, which in turn allows the court to ensure (as far as possible) that an outcome reached is fair to both parties, and that neither party nor dependent children are left in need. However, this level of flexibility also carries its own disadvantages as it can be difficult for parties to envisage how a judge may determine the respective parties’ needs.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised here, please get in touch today. We are here to help.

Vulnerable children Vs The cost of living crisis

Posted on 8th December 20228th December 2022 by McAlister Family Law

Vulnerable children Vs The cost of living crisis

The UK is currently set to suffer from yet another national crisis. With the soaring rates of inflation set to reach an all-time new height, the devastating effects are being felt by many families, especially those in the most vulnerable situation. Here, Rubecca Rahman looks at the effect the cost of living crisis may have on children in the most vulnerable households.

Basic needs such as heating, food and clothing are all factors which will be affected once the crisis hits. Many families are facing the devasting reality of living within the crisis and for many vulnerable families the reality is real. The cost-of-living crisis is not just an economic challenge. It also has knock-on effect on a person’s mental health and social wellbeing – particularly for the many young people that face the prospect of a cold, hungry and uncertain winter.

Many independent organisations have warned of the consequences the cost-of-living crisis will have on a child’s health, education, and wellbeing. According to statistics, 1 in 3 children already live within poverty. These numbers are set to rise even further due to the recent inflation rates. The causes of the rise in inflation are complex. Years of austerity combined with dormant wages and cuts to benefits has left many exposed to financial risk. Then came the global Covid-19 pandemic which rocked families even further and pushed many families below the line of poverty.

The effect and impact of poverty is well known. However, a less well-known fact is the growing evidence that poverty is a major factor in child abuse and neglect – one the leading reasons for children entering the care system. Whether it’s the failure or inability of a parent to care for and provide the basic needs for the child or a parents’ helplessness to escape an abusive partner because of financial hardships, there are more and more children facing the risk of entering care. As a result, children are not able to reach their full potential. Their chance of a safe and happy childhood is immediately taken away.

Throughout the years, child poverty has risen significantly and the rise in the number of children entering care has coincided with rising child poverty cases. The most recent figures available show 4.3 million children living in poverty. Furthermore, in England, children in the most deprived 10% of neighbourhoods are over ten times more likely to be in care or under some type of a protection plan. Further research also suggests children living in low-income households are three times more likely to suffer from some form of mental health problems than their more affluent peers. Additionally, children born into poverty are more likely to experience a wide range of health problems, including poor nutrition and chronic disease. Poverty also places an additional strain on families and relationships leading to further struggles.

Unfortunately, it is unlikely these figures will fall anytime soon, as the full impact of the pandemic and the cost-of-living becomes apparent, the situation is likely to worsen. The cost-of-living is expected to accelerate pre-existing trends of greater poverty and inequality within the UK. A child centred approach is therefore fundamental in safeguarding and promoting the welfare of every child. This approach focuses on the child’s needs when making decisions about their lives and working in partnership with them and their families to come to an agreement.

What does this look like in reality? Children must be put at the forefront of any discussion between parents and/or legal parties to ensure that they are warm, well fed and most importantly safe. Reach out to family members or obtain professional help and assistance to care for the child. Ultimately it is important to safeguard their interest and needs.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised here, please get in touch today. We are here to help.

Media and the family court – Do the public need to know what’s happening?

Posted on 5th December 2022 by McAlister Family Law

Media and the family court – Do the public need to know what’s happening?

For the first time, under a twelve-month pilot scheme running from January 2023 – January 2024, journalists may be able to report on what happens in family courts in 3 selected areas of the UK Cardiff, Leeds and Carlisle. In his latest blog post, Jack Tonge looks at the law now and what the pilot scheme may offer.

Current UK law forbids anything that happens in a family court from being reported unless a judge explicitly makes an order allowing it.

The rationale for keeping family court hearings behind closed doors is so that children’s rights to privacy are protected.

Under the pilot scheme journalists may report on what they witness within the family court arena, subject to ‘the principles of protection of the anonymity of any children involved unless the Judge orders otherwise’. Families can also be interviewed in respect of their cases so long as their anonymity is protected.

Under the pilot scheme journalists may be able to name local authorities, the lawyers involved, as well as experts appointed by the Court. However, unless ordered by the court, individual social workers will remain anonymous as with the identities of medical professionals treating children or any family member within the case.

It is important to note that the Articles of the ECHR still play an important part in governing the Court’s discretion. The Court is still under a duty to ensure the rights of the family and parties remain intact such has having a right to a fair trial (Article 6), whilst balancing the rights to a private and family life (Article 8) and the rights of the press, public and parties (Article 10). Therefore, the Court may depart from the transparency principle should the case deem it necessary.

Whilst it remains to be seen whether the pilot will bring an end to the often criticised ‘secrecy’ of the family court arena; it is clear that the Transparency Reporting Pilot is the start of implementing changes to impact the same.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised here, please get in touch today. We are here to help.

Love is blind… but what if it’s short?

Posted on 16th November 202224th January 2023 by McAlister Family Law

Love is blind… but what if it’s short?

With both Nick Thompson & Danielle Ruhl (Love is Blind season 2) and Mackenzie Scott & Dan Jewett (the ex-wife of Jeff Bezos and her new husband) set to divorce, the topic of short marriages is one that is bound to be on their minds. Both couples married in 2021 and are in the process of bringing their marriages to a legal end. Here, Heather Lucy looks at how the length of a marriage may affect how assets are split upon divorce.

Both of the couples named above are based in the US but those thinking of divorce in England and Wales may be wondering whether the length of their marriage might impact their potential financial settlements on divorce.

There are no hard and fast rules, or formulas, that state how assets should be divided on divorce. The starting point for the court is that the assets should be divided equally, but they will then consider if there are reasons for moving away from an equal split, for example if assets are considered to be non-matrimonial, such as inherited assets or potentially assets acquired before the marriage. The court will also look at whether each person’s needs would be met by an even split. In making their decision, the court looks at the factors in Section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 which is a checklist of what they should consider. The primary consideration will be the welfare of any children of the marriage and other factors include the couple’s ages and the standard of living during the marriage. The latter would likely bode well for Mr Jewett if he were divorcing in England and Wales considering Ms Scott’s circa $34 billion net worth.

One of the factors to be considered under the Section 25 checklist is the length of the marriage. For the purposes of divorce, any time spent living together immediately prior to the marriage is added to the length of time since ‘I do’ to work out the length of the relationship. There are no set definitions of ‘long marriages’ or ‘short marriages’. Marriages of 10 + years may be seen to be in the ‘long marriage’ territory and one lasting 5 years or less is generally seen to fit the description of a short marriage.

Spouses in a long marriage are seen to have more financial interconnectedness and their assets are more likely to be considered ‘mingled’. This means that the court is more likely to be persuaded that an equal division of the assets is the right approach.

If spouses in a short marriage have no children and are both earning, the court may decide that it is fair to move away from splitting their assets down the middle and instead try return each person to the financial position they were in prior to the marriage. This is made even more likely if the couple had kept their finances separate during the marriage. It is also more likely that divorcing spouses will be able to ‘ring-fence’ assets/property they have brought to the marriage which means that they are kept out of the ‘pot’ being divided. The court will also heavily favour a ‘clean break’ if the marriage was short, if there are no young children, as they will want to cut financial ties between the divorcing couple. This means that it is unlikely that regular payments from one person to the other (maintenance) would be ordered, though it is not impossible.

It is important to remember that the court will look at what each person needs. You might have a short marriage and have no children but, if a move away from equality would mean the other person cannot meet this housing and income needs, the court are unlikely to be persuaded that an equal division of the assets is not the right course of action.

Changing your children’s last name after divorce

Posted on 8th November 202223rd January 2024 by McAlister Family Law

Changing your children’s last name after divorce

Continuing our series of blogs covering the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie relationship difficulties currently making headlines around the world, it is reported that the couple’s son Maddox doesn’t use Pitt as his last name on documents that aren’t legal, using Jolie instead – and wants to make this name change legal. Solicitor George Wilson looks at the options available in this country, and considers the wider implications of such a decision.

It is a matter of record that Maddox Jolie-Pitt has a troubled relationship with his father, especially after an altercation during a private jet flight to Los Angeles, five years ago. Although Maddox wants to drop his father’s name and go from Jolie-Pitt to Jolie, it’s reported that his mother doesn’t support this. What would be the situation here?

Changing your name by deed poll

Under English law, if you are over the age of 16 you can change your name by deed poll, and you do not usually need your parents’ consent to do this. Your parents also cannot change your name for you without your consent.

However, there are some exceptions to the above. If you are subject to

* A ‘Live with order’ whether that is a Child Arrangements Order or Residence Order in England, Wales, or Northern Island

* A Special Guardianship Order in England and Wales

* A Care Order (or interim Care Order) in England, Wales, or Northern Island

* Any other court order which says that your name cannot be changed

If one of the four instances outlined above applies to you, then you’ll need the consent from everyone who has Parental Responsibility for you, for as long as the court order remains in force. The order might be drafted so that it ends on a specific date. If not, then it’s safe to assume that it will come to an end on your 18^th birthday.

If one of the four orders outlined above applies to you, and someone with parental responsibility refuses to give their consent, then you would need to apply for an Order of the Court allowing the change.

What about changing a child’s name?

Anyone under the age of 16 is, in law, a “child”, which means whoever has parental responsibility for the child would have to change the name by deed poll on the child’s behalf. To change the name of a child resident in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland, or overseas, there must be consent from everyone with parental responsibility, and that consent must be in writing.

What happens if the other parent refuses consent?

If only one person with parental responsibility wants to change the child’s name, and everyone else who has parental responsibility for the child won’t consent, then the person who does want to change the name can apply to the Court for a Specific Issue Order.

Usually, unless the Court believes that the link to a family name is better broken, they will be reluctant to take away the name of one of the parents. Courts tend to regard a child’s surname as something fundamental, and an important part of their identity. Even if one parent has had no contact for many years, it’s still seen as important for a child to have the absent parent’s surname, because it may be the last remaining link to them.

That being said, there are very often more important things to consider than the continuation of the link of identity between a child and a parent.

It is worth noting that the closer the child is to the age of 16, the more weight the court will likely give that child’s wishes and feelings.

What if no one gives consent to change your name?

If you are under 16 years of age, want to change your name, but none of the people with parental responsibility for you will consent to it, then you can apply to the court yourself, again for a Specific Issue Order.

You will need to show the Court that you have tried to work out any differences between you and those with parental responsibility before you made the application. You’ll also need to get the Court’s permission to make the application as you’re a child. This is called “Leave of the Court”, and you have to apply for permission first, before the Court would hear your application. The older you are, the more likely the Court are to give their permission to make the application for a Specific Issue Order and you’ll have to prove that you have a sufficient understanding of what you are applying for.

Think carefully before making any decision

Maddox Jolie-Pitt wants to change his surname, but his mother disagrees with this. If he goes ahead however, it’s likely Maddox’s brothers and sisters will have a different surname and they may be unhappy with this. There are wider implications which need to be considered thoroughly. A divorce and various disputes that are still going on many years later is without question going to put a strain on any family. This is why all factors need to be considered carefully and we at McAlister Family Law are here to help should any of these issues affect you and your family.

If you are affected by any of the issues raised here, please get in touch today.

Married at First Sight UK – Are they really married and does it matter?

Posted on 3rd November 202224th January 2023 by McAlister Family Law

Married at First Sight UK – Are they really married and does it matter?

Married at First Sight first hit TV screens in 2015 and for the first 5 series the couples were legally married. However, after adopting the Australian (more entertaining) format last year the couples no longer get legally married. Here, Lisa Brown looks at the implications involved with marrying a stranger and what the law requires of legally married couples.

Nevertheless, much has been made in the recent series (7) about the fact that the parties are “married”. It all starts with the individuals dropping the bombshell on their loved ones that they are getting “married to a stranger” and when Whitney and Matt coupled up the criticism came thick and fast based on the fact that they were “married” to other people.

For the purposes of the show perhaps it doesn’t matter because the point is that they buy into the principle but legally it makes a very big difference.

Being married is a change to your legal status and if things don’t work out you have to apply to the court to either have that marriage annulled or get divorced.

Further, when couples get married, they gain the ability to make a financial claim against the other person under Matrimonial Causes Act 1973.

One of the peculiarities of the law as it stands is that a couple could live together for 25 years but not be able to make a financial claim against each other (save in limited circumstances) but somebody can get legally married at first sight, never live together and divorce as soon as they can and they would be able to make a claim. That claim could include property being transferred to them, a share of the other’s pension, a lump sum of money being paid and /or monthly sums being paid (spousal maintenance).

In “Married At First Sight” circumstances the reality is that it is unlikely that such a claim would be particularly fruitful and generally the expectation would be that they would exit the marriage with what they brought in but the ability to do it remains.

The Matrimonial Causes Act sets out at section 25 a checklist of factors which are taken into account when deciding the outcome of a financial claim. One of those factors is the duration of the marriage but there are a number of others and the family court has a wide discretion.

Whilst not relevant to the Married At First Sight couples it is also worth knowing that the court will generally “run in” periods of seamless cohabitation prior to the marriage when considering the length. So, if, as in the above example, you lived together for 25 years and then you got married it is likely that the court would consider it to be a long marriage even if you separated just weeks after the actual marriage. This scenario could make a huge difference to the financial outcome of a case.

Arguably, most couples getting married are largely ignorant of the changes they are entering into from a legal perspective and Married At First Sight doesn’t assist with this (not least because no matter what they say the couples aren’t actually married). Some people may also think they have rights they do not because they have lived together for a certain period of time, but no such rights exist and “common law marriage” is a myth.

Whilst not the most romantic thought people should consider their legal status in their relationship and the impact that this can have to ensure that they are properly protected and have a full understanding.

If you or somebody you know wants to understand their legal position better whether they are cohabiting, thinking about cohabiting, engaged or married they should contact one of our specialist family lawyers today.

What happens to ashes and other remains?

Posted on 26th October 202224th January 2023 by McAlister Family Law

What happens to ashes and other remains?

Ryan Murphy’s true-crime series about Jeffrey Dahmer was watched for 196.2 million hours in its first week on streaming platform Netflix. Clearly, the shocking story about the horrific actions of Dahmer have had global audiences gripped. In amongst the tales about his victims, a relatively normal scene stood out to McAlister Family Law Associate, George Wilson, for reasons that many may have overlooked.

Towards the end of the series, after Dahmer has been killed in prison, the show depicts the scene of his separated parents arguing over what should happen to his remains. Dahmer’s father wished for his entire body to be cremated as per his son’s wishes. Dahmer’s mother, on the other hand, held the position that her son’s brain should be donated to University for scientific purposes. Thus, the question still stands; what happens to the remains of a person in the context of either separated parents, spouses, or anyone else for that matter. Although this topic is rather macabre, it presents itself in more cases than the general public could ever imagine.

Naturally, the death of one’s child (or significant loved one) is something that none of us would ever wish and is heart-breaking to even think of. But what happens to their remains? Does someone have more of a right to the remains than another person, for example in an urn?

The basic starting point is that a body, or the remains of one, is not property and the person who is entitled to the possession of a remains is the person who is under a duty to dispose of the body. If a body is cremated, the crematorium authority must hand over the ashes to the person who delivered the body to them. Generally speaking, there is the rule of ‘no property in a corpse’. It is not possible for a body to be gifted, or disposed of by a will, bought by one person, or sold by another. It is permitted, in statute, that the body, or part thereof, can be donated for medicine or science.

Firstly, a hospital has the right to detain a body if it is considered infectious, or if the person has passed away from a number of diseases. The coroner then has the right to take possession of the body, albeit temporarily, in order to determine the cause of death. Then, if there is a will, the person entitled to possession is the named executor of the will. In scenarios where a will is not present, the person who has the priority on intestacy will have possession and, under a very distinct set of rules, the parents of a minor child will have a duty to arrange a child’s funeral. To complicate matters even further, the case of R v Kelly held that it was possible for there to be property rights over ashes of the deceased on the basis that they have different attributes following an application of skill – that skill being the act of cremation. Notwithstanding this, this will only apply in a very specific set of cases.

It is the sad truth that, as in many family disputes involving items much less sacred than the body of a loved one, many simply cannot agree on what happens next. Some would consider that the caring of the body would fall to the next of kin, surviving spouse, parent, or other close family member. It is vital that these issues are dealt with by employing compassion and respect, both for the living and the dead, and to attempt to resolve any family dispute.