FAMILY LAW
Categories
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Separation (including cohabitees & civil partners)
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Finances (including prenuptial agreements)
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Child Arrangement Orders – Contact & Residence
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Specific Issue Orders & Prohibited Steps Order
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Child Abduction
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Grandparents
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Care Proceedings (applications brought by Social Services)
Introduction
Family problems can take a huge emotional and financial toll on every member of the family, including grandparents and children. Often our clients will have tried their very best to resolve problems themselves, and coming to see a solicitor can be a huge step for them. We understand how hard it can be.
We offer: -
Experts
Expert legal advice. Our members of the Family Law Team have years of experience in this area of law. Our service is highly rated and we have been advising clients for 30 years. We are committed to achieving results for you whether that is a success for you in Court or an amicable resolution outside of Court. We work quickly but are thorough and show attention to detail.
Multidisciplinary
We are able to provide advice on all aspects of Family Law. From divorce to children. Please see our individual categories for more information.
Compassionate & Sensitive
We understand how hard it can be to see a solicitor about your family law problem. We know that family law problems can be stressful and traumatic. Our team are known for providing a compassionate and sensitive service. We offer free half hour appointments to enable you to consider your options.
Our service is tailored to your individual needs. We are able to provide advice in a language that you understand (we have Urdu and Punjabi speakers in the department and can organise interpreters in other languages).
Any information you give us is treated with the strictest confidence.
Legal Aid & Competitive prices
We have a legal aid contract and in your free half hour appointment we can assess your eligibility. If you qualify for legal aid, this could mean that you do not pay anything or that you pay regular monthly contributions. Please discuss this with a member of our family team.
For those who are not entitled to free legal aid we offerfixed fee packages which enable you to budget. We offer competitive rates, please speak to a member of our team before you go any where else!
Please don't keep family problems to yourself. Call today on 01274 724 114 to arrange a free half hour appointment with one of our Family Law team to help you see a brighter and clearer future for you and your family.
Whether you are married or not, taking the decision to separate can be a tough one. Petherbridge Bassra can advise you on all areas of divorce or separation. Especially where property and financial affairs have been built together Petherbridge Bassra makes sure your interests are safeguarded so you and your family can look to the future after divorce or separation.
Divorce
Our family law team has a lot of experience in helping achieve settlements for people who find themselves in a less than straightforward situation when it comes to dissolving a relationship. Sometimes one person is disputing the idea of a divorce, there may be religious factors such as divorce not being 'recognised' by a particular faith, or perhaps a marriage was never actually legal in the first place.
Where children are concerned, Petherbridge Bassra's caring and sensitive approach is particularly welcome as we always aim to make sure the best possible provision is made for their future. Very often a client's first question will be 'what about the children?' or 'how will I manage?' – we completely understand these concerns and together we will find a solution.
Separation
Petherbridge Bassra can also advise on agreements for people about to get married, or couples buying a property together that can safeguard the financial interests of both parties should the relationship breakdown in the future.
Please don't keep family problems to yourself. Call today on 01274 724 114 to arrange a free half hour appointment discussion with one of our Family Law team to help you see a brighter and clearer future for you and your family.
Whatever your financial stuation, contact Petherbridge Bassra for advice on reaching the best possible financial settlement from your divorce or relationship breakdown.
Finances
The separation of the parties' finances after a breakdown of a relationship or marriage can be a very traumatic and emotional time for all parties involved. Couples may have joint assets to be divided, or on the flip side of this, joint debts.
Petherbridge Bassra deals with matters in a manner sensitive to all parties concerns but with our clients' interests uppermost in our minds. In the case of a breakdown of a marriage finances can be resolved in one of two ways. That is either: by consent of the parties having reached an agreement or by way of an Order of the Court.
For those who are unmarried and own property a resolution of the finances arising from the breakdown of the relationship can be even more stressful. The law which applies to married couples does not apply. We are however able to assist in reaching a negotiation in respect of resolving such matters or making appropriate applications to Court under relevant legislation such as the Trust of Land and Appointment of Trustees Act. This Act allows the Court to declare, in which proportions cohabiting couples own a property.
Please don't keep family problems to yourself. Call today on 01274 724 114 to arrange a half hour appointment discussion with one of our Family Law team to help you see a brighter and clearer future for you and your family.
Petherbridge Bassra's family law team offers a full range of legal services related to children. Whether you live apart from your children and want to establish regular contact with a child or if you your children live with you and you wish to seek orders to prevent the removal of a child either from your care or indeed from the country, we can make sure your wishes are represented.
Children
Child Arrangement Orders (contact and residence)
We are able to assist parents who are being refused access to their children and seek to negotiate contact and where necessary seek an order of the Court. We are able to help and advise clients even in circumstances where severe allegations of domestic violence are made and represent the client through the process including finding of fact hearings, preparation of CAFCASS Reports and final hearings. We are able to assist at any stage of the proceedings. We can also issue emergency Court applications if necessary.
Child Abduction (Prohibited Steps Order)
For those parents who fear that the non-resident parent is going to harm or take the children from their care we are able to obtain, on an emergency basis, orders of the Court to prevent the removal of the children (Prohibited Steps Orders), thereafter seek a Child Arrangement Order. That is an order of the court which confirms that the child's ordinary resident is with that parent. This of course does not prevent arrangements being made for Contact with the nonresident parent. Indeed it would be likely that within any application for a Child Arrangement Order contact with the non-resident parent would also be considered by the Court. It is a general principle of the Court that the children's welfare is paramount and that every child is entitled to contact with the non-resident parent.
Specific Issue Orders
Whether it’s changing a child’s name, taking a child on holiday or where a child goes to school, we understand that disputes over caring for a child arise. In these cases you can obtain a specific issue order.
Make sure your voice is heard by calling Petherbridge Bassra's family law team. If you are fearful of an expartner trying to take the children away from you, or you want to re-establish contact with your children there are many ways we can help.
Grandparents
Although not an automatic right, we are also able to assist grandparents in order to try to achieve this. This may be the situation where their own child is the non-resident parent and are being refused contact or indeed in a circumstance where there has been a family dispute and contact is being withheld. In such circumstances it would be appropriate for us first to apply to the Court for permission to make an application for contact but in the circumstances of a grandparent this is rarely refused.
Please don't keep family problems to yourself. Call today on 01274 724 114 to arrange a free half hour appointment discussion with one of our Family Law team to help you see a brighter and clearer future for you and your family.
For those who have involvement with Social Services this is an extremely frightening and confusing time. There are a number of ways in which the Local Authority may be involved ranging from a child suffering an injury to neglect.
Care – Applications Brought by Social Services
What are Care Proceedings?
These are Court proceedings concerning a child / children. This is started by the Local Authority making an application for a ‘care’ or ‘supervision order’.
If the Local Authority obtain a care order they acquire parental responsibility for the child / children and can make important decisions about where they live and how they are brought up. These decisions can potentially override the decisions the parents make about the child. Often, a Care Order may result in a child being removed from their parents care.
An Interim Care Order can be granted by the Court in such circumstances where a child is likely to suffer significant harm, if not removed from the parent's care. This is an Order which would assist in the removal of the child whilst proceedings for a full Care Order take place.
Within these proceedings the Local Authority are obliged to ensure that the parents continue to have contact and that appropriate family members and indeed the parents are assessed as potential carers. The Local Authority would also as part of their case undertake a full assessment of the parents ability to care and it is based on that evidence and the evidence of the Guardian who is an independent person appointed to represent the interest of the child that the Court would ultimately make a decision as to whether the child may be returned to the parents or should be removed from their care indefinitely. Such orders are draconian orders in nature and will only be made after full consideration of the facts and evidence.
If the Local Authority obtain a supervision order, the Local Authority can ‘advise, assist, and befriend’ a child or children.
In certain cases, the Local Authority may apply for an Emergency Protection Order. The police may also obtain Police Protection Orders
How can we help?
Care Proceedings can be extremely stressful and fast paced. We are able to provide you with the support that you need.
If you are a parent: -
We can attend PLO meetings with you. These are meetings which the Local Authority organise prior to initiating Court Proceedings. The social worker, team manager, parents and legal representatives meet with a view to discussing their concerns with you. They will indicate at this meeting whether they intend to make a Court application. You may be entitled to legal aid for this.
We can represent you in the Court proceedings. We can represent you at any stage in the Court proceedings. Often the initial Court Hearing is listed with little notice. We can help you in these circumstances.
If you are a relative of the child but not a parent: -
We can provide you with a free half hour appointment to discuss your options. This may be a Special Guardianship Order or challenging a viability assessment.
Please don't keep family problems to yourself. Call today on 01274 724 114 to arrange a free half hour appointment discussion with one of our Family Law team to help you see a brighter and clearer future for you and your family.
The staff of Petherbridge Bassra take pride in their work and care about their clients’ cases and the reputation of the firm.
Protection from Domestic Violence including Injunctions
Petherbridge Bassra helps people who are being subjected to domestic violence or harassment. Applications to safeguard you and your family from harm by another person can be granted by the Court the same day to protect from an immediate threat.
If the threat is from a partner, we can assist in obtaining emergency orders which prevent the use of threatening violence, harassment or indeed approaching a property. If this order is breached, the respondent would be subject to arrest by the police.
Equally, if you have been unfairly affected by one of these orders and wish to oppose it, Petherbridge Bassra can assist. In circumstances where an order has been enforced through the Civil Courts and an application for committal to prison is made we can provide representation in defending the allegations which may have been made. In respect of enforcement by the Police our criminal department can assist.
If you are feeling scared for your own safety, or the safety of a child/children, please contact us immediately in the strictest confidence. We know that talking about domestic violence is never going to be easy and many people are fearful of repercussions of seeking legal advice but contacting our family law team and putting the appropriate legal measures in place can free you from the shadow of future violence or abuse.
Forced Marriage Protection Orders
If you are the victim of a forced marriage or you are alleged to be the perpetrator of a forced marriage then Petherbridge Bassra Solicitors can represent you in the Court Proceedings.
Please don't keep family problems to yourself. Call today on 01274 724 114 to arrange a no-obligation free half hour appointment discussion with one of our Family Law team to help you see a brighter and clearer future for you and your family.
