Family Dispute Resolution

If you have a relationship problem and need advice about your legal position, coming to see our solicitors can be about preventing a separation rather than preparing for one. We recognise that there is considerable distress at such times and we will try to avoid increasing it.

Before dealing with the practicalities of the break up, it is better if you make sure that that it is unavoidable. Relate is a charity and its counsellors can often help you clarify the situation.

Hedleys may suggest a number of the following as ways of getting an effective resolution:

Family Mediation

Family mediation is a process in which the couple meet with the assistance of a neutral mediator who helps them look at their circumstances and identify their options.

Mediation may sometimes be obtained free through franchise-holding mediators.

During mediation it is helpful to have a competent solicitor to advise and assist you, then if a settlement is proposed, to scrutinise the proposal and do the work in implementing it - perhaps obtaining a court order by consent, or carrying out property transactions.

More information is available from the UK College of Family Mediators.

The Court System

Not all cases are suitable for mediation and even if they are, sometimes a court order is useful. When people separate or divorce, the vast majority agree between themselves how they should divide their assets, but even with good will, people sometimes need an independent opinion. Sometimes court procedures are used to get such an independent opinion before a deal is reached. If assets are divided on divorce, the court can recognise the new arrangements even if the court itself only checked that those arrangements seemed fair rather than had to make a decision. People often allow a court to order that the arrangements are as agreed to show that the deal has been independently checked.

We provide a service aiming to obtain resolutions in cases about divorce, matrimonial property and children. This work is undertaken within the Code of Conduct of the Solicitors Family Law Association (now called Resolution), which encourages co-operation and a practical attitude. We aim to conduct family disputes in such a way that the legal fees do not diminish our clients' resources any more than necessary, which encourages co-operation and a practical attitude.