Getting the best outcomes for Wetherby clients in family law
Many people in Wetherby and across West Yorkshire are assisted by the skilled and committed family lawyers at Stowe Family Law in matters concerning divorce, cohabitation, and the dissolution of civil partnerships.
The Wetherby family law team, led by Managing Partner Chris Birch, is dedicated to providing clients the best legal assistance and representation, as seen in the case study samples below.
Whether you are going through a difficult divorce, trying to split a pension, choosing the future of the family home, or finding it difficult to co-parent, our skilled family lawyers will provide you with the comfort and peace of mind you need.
Increasing use of collaborative law to settle divorce-related issues
If a couple has problems agreeing on issues linked to their separation, such as money, property, and children, a collaborative approach to divorce may be an effective strategy.
The collaborative divorce model puts the client at the centre of the process. It focuses on people working through their issues to achieve the right solution for the whole family, while avoiding the court arena.
It differs from mediation, in that each party has a lawyer who has received collaborative law training at all meetings to ensure they receive legal counsel. Other professionals, such as financial advisors and auditors may also be brought in.
Sessions entail in-person discussions between the teams of the parties to settle disagreements.
A collaborative divorce uses a more relaxed, adaptable, and controllable process based on talk and agreement, which helps many couples avoid the stress and expense of the family court system.
Collaborative divorce lawyer Katie Kilburn often helps clients in Wetherby use this approach to reach a fair and amicable divorce agreement.
Dealing with the division of joint accounts
The team in Wetherby regularly advises clients on how to manage the division of joint accounts as part of the wider financial settlement process during divorce.
In one particular case, they supported a client who had been married for ten years. During the marriage, they used a joint account to manage their finances. They both deposited their incomes into the account and used it to pay for their living costs and expenses.
At the time of separating, the account had a significant amount of money in it. Both parties agreed that this was a matrimonial asset that should be added to the pot to be divided fairly between them.
The division of the joint account became part of the wider negotiations to reach a fair settlement for both parties.
During these negotiations, they agreed that the money in the joint account would be used to cover any final debts / payments the couple owned, and anything remaining would be split.
With the help of the Wetherby team and other party solicitors, the couple quickly reached an agreement on their financial settlement, avoiding any conflict or disputes. This was then turned into a legally binding consent order.
When child support payments are missed
More commonly referred to as child maintenance, child support is an ongoing payment to help cover a child’s living costs when one of the parents does not live with the child.
In Wetherby, deciding on child support is frequently done between parents without legal intervention. However, this is not always the case.
The team recently assisted a mother who was pursuing an ongoing claim against the father of her three young children for unpaid child maintenance.
Even though there was an agreement that the children would spend every other weekend and one-night during the week with their father, this frequently did not occur, since he either cancelled or did not show up.
The agreed maintenance payments were also frequently being skipped or the incorrect amount being paid, which was causing financial stress and difficulty for the mother.
The family law team in Wetherby assisted the client by putting her in contact with the CMS, a government-run institution that helps people implement formalised child maintenance arrangements and payments.
The agency calculated the proper payment amount, got in touch with the father, and completed the required preparations for a recurring monthly payment.
Due to this being followed, the mother now receives appropriate child support. There has also been an improvement in the father’s reliability, and he rarely cancels, which has improved their relationship and ability to co-parent the children.
Contact Stowe Family Law in Wetherby today
With dozens of sites around the country, Stowe Family Law is the biggest family law practice in the UK.
The Wetherby office in West Yorkshire, one of the firm's many locations, offers legal advice to clients who are coping with the many issues brought about by divorce, civil partnership dissolution, and relationship breakdown.
The divorce lawyers at Stowe Family Law's Wetherby office, including Chris Birch, Kate Sarsfield and Katie Kilburn, can help you whether you're going through a difficult divorce, need assistance settling a financial matter, or require advice on child support arrangements.
You’ll find our Wetherby office in Oakgate House, Market Pl, Wetherby, LS22 6LQ. Our family solicitors can be reached on 01937 543904. Our phone lines are open from 8:30am – 7pm, Monday to Friday and 9am – 5pm on Saturday and Sunday.