CHILDREN - SEPARATED PARENTS (Residence, Contact and Parentage)
In the Family Court, children cases are usually referred to as either being ‘Public Children Cases’ or ‘Private Children Cases’. In the majority of cases the difference between the two tends to be whether social services are involved or not.
Private children cases tend to be cases where parents and family members bring the matter to court because there is disagreement about which parent or family member a child should live with, how much contact they should have with the other or who the parents actually are.
I regularly offers expert advice and courtroom representation in the following private children cases:
• CHILD ARRANGEMENT ORDERS: Residence, Shared Residence and Custody (Where a child should live including which Country)
• CHILD ARRANGMENT ORDERS: Contact and Access (Including enforcement of contact orders)
• Specific Issue (e.g. Disputes about whether a child should go on a specific holiday or attend a specific school or be known by a different name)
• Prohibited Steps (e.g. To stop somebody removing a child from a specific carer)
• Parental Responsibility
• PARENTAGE and DNA TESTING
• Abduction
• Emergency Applications (including delivery up of children where a child has not been returned after contact)
• Allegations of child abuse and serious violence within the family home
• Surrogacy
• Jurisdiction (whether the English Court has the right Court to try the case).
• ENFORCEMENT of CONTACT ORDERS (e.g. unpaid work, committal to prison).
For many people the thought of bringing the matter to Court can be daunting. The paperwork itself can sometimes appear intimidating. Having worked in the area for several years myself I can state that much of the process and paperwork is relatively straightforward. My approach to clients is to offer guidance and assistance aimed at helping them gain confidence doing much of that side of the process themselves, thereby saving them many thousands of pounds and only spending money on legal fees when its absolutely necessary. To see how to make an application click on the VIDEOS heading to the left and follow the relevant link.
If you are involved in a dispute about your children or grandchildren, want to explore your options, then call now on 0113 227 0708 to arrange a meeting.