Helping customers in Chelmsford with their family law matters
Stowe Family Law assists people in Chelmsford and all of Essex struggling with family law matters like divorce, financial settlements, and child custody agreements.
The case studies below show how the team, under Managing Partner Seb Burrows, works hard to deliver excellent client service and the best results.
The family law firm in Chelmsford can assist you if you are going through a difficult divorce, having trouble dividing your assets, having trouble deciding on child custody, or dealing with post-divorce arrangements.
Even if the definition of "custody" has changed and no longer has any legal significance, it is still frequently used to describe the arrangements for children after a divorce.
The Chelmsford team frequently helps divorced parents in Essex who are having trouble deciding on the specifics of their child custody agreements.
For instance, they recently acted for the mother of two small children whose father had agreed to child custody terms directly, but who kept breaking them.
After six years of marriage, the couple decided to divorce after the man had an affair and moved in with his new partner, who had young children of her own.
The father was increasingly not showing up to pick up the children or returning them early, and unannounced despite the parents' agreement to split custody of the kids over a four-day on/off period. Both the mother and the kids were upset by this.
The Chelmsford team determined that the best line of action would be to apply to the court for a child arrangement order to create a more formalised framework and clearer boundaries. Using their understanding of child law, the team developed a child arrangements order in the children's best interests, and to support the parent’s needs. After legal proceedings, the court issued a child arrangements order that represented the agreed-upon child custody plan
Having the order in place gave the couple the framework they needed, and the father now sticks to the parenting scheduled as outlined. The children have benefited massively from this formal agreement, because it gives them regularity and routine in their lives.
What happens if you can't agree on how to divide household goods in divorce?
Many divorcing spouses must decide whether to sell the family house and share its belongings. Due to the fact that this is a frequent source of contention, the divorce team in Chelmsford assists many clients who struggle to agree.
The partition of household goods following a separation is not expressly addressed by the law. Any assets accumulated or acquired during the marriage are typically added to the marital pot and equitably divided.
The distribution of household goods was proving to be a sticking point in the financial settlement agreement for a recent client of the Chelmsford family law firm.
After 12 years of marriage, the couple decided to divorce. It was agreed that the mother would stay with their two young children, and our client, the father, would leave the family home and move into rental housing. When until the youngest reached 18, the house would be sold, with any equity split equally.
Our client needed several household goods, such as furniture and electrical appliances, since he moved into unfurnished housing. Despite this arrangement, the couple had trouble deciding how to split the possessions, particularly an expensive dining room set, sofas, kitchen appliances and the TVs.
The team recommended the client list every household item in the home, along with its estimated value, and note any gifts and purchases made before the marriage. With a detailed list in hand, the team could then assist the client in weighing his options and deciding on the fairest way to divide the items. From this, they created a plan that provided a reasonable compromise and collaborated with the opposing legal team to reach an agreement.
The details were then included in the consent order to ensure compliance, and the household items were divided between the ex-couple.
How should the family house be divided?
The division of the family home as part of a larger divorce settlement is a frequent problem for Chelmsford divorce lawyers. The family home is frequently the most valuable asset to divide in a divorce, but it also holds a lot of personal value and emotional attachment, and can easily become a source of conflict.
The division of a lovely detached house on the outskirts of Chelmsford was one such example that the family law team worked on. The couple, married for 15 years, had two children aged 10 and 8 years old. Despite separating a year ago, they were both still living in the house and refusing to move out, but it was getting more challenging for them and damaging for the children.
Both parties were determined to keep the family home, and this was proving to be a sticking point in the financial settlement. The team suggested mediation to help the couple reach a resolution after direct conversations failed.
Meanwhile, the team collaborated with the client to gain a comprehensive understanding of the price of maintaining the family home, particularly in light of the cost of living crisis, soaring costs and increasing interest rates affecting mortgage affordability. With a thorough grasp of the expenditures, our client realised they could no longer afford to buy out the other party and the running costs of the house, and instead needed to look at other routes for the division of the property.
This information was taken to mediation, and after several sessions, both parties came to the conclusion that selling the family house and splitting the proceeds equally was the wisest course of action. As a result, they had enough money to purchase close-by homes that suited the needs of the family and the kids.
Contact Stowe Family Law in Chelmsford today
Stowe Family Law is the largest family law firm in the UK, with many offices across England and Wales.
They provide assistance to people coping with the problems caused by a relationship breakdown at their Chelmsford office, one of several assisting clients in the Essex region.
Managing Partner Seb Burrows and lawyers, Kate Bouwmeester, Filomena Sterkaj support their clients to divorce amicably, reach a fair agreement on a financial settlement, and help make arrangements for children.
So, if you need the best family law advice Chelmsford has to offer, contact Stowe Family Law today, request a free call back or call us at 01245 371290. Our Chelmsford family solicitors office can be found at Stowe Family Law LLP, Second Floor, Saxon House, 27 Duke St, Chelmsford, CM1 1HT.