Family Law

Clare Curran, partner and head of the family and matrimonial department at Belfast-based Worthingtons Solicitors, writes on the case for divorce reform in Northern Ireland. In light of the announcement by the Government last week regarding imminent reform to the divorce system in England and Wales,

Legislation providing for a referendum on divorce to be held next month has cleared both houses of the Oireachtas without opposition. The Thirty-eighth Amendment of the Constitution (Dissolution of Marriage) Bill 2016 was approved by the Seanad last night.

A German woman has been told by a judge she will not be able to divorce her husband in England as she only visited London to attend the ballet and see an aristocrat friend, The Times reports. Clarissa Pierburg, 69, was accused of "divorce tourism" by her husband, Jurgen Pierburg, 73, an industrialis

Couples in England and Wales will be able to go through "no-fault" divorces faster under new Government proposals. New legislation representing the biggest overhaul of divorce laws in the jurisdiction in 50 years will be presented to MPs "as soon as parliamentary time allows".

Family law experts addressed a packed meeting at Law Society House on the private law aspects of the Children's Order. The four parts of the event, organised by the Law Society of Northern Ireland's family law committee, heard from a court children's officer (CCO), a contact centre co-ordinator, a d

Derry-based Caldwell & Robinson Solicitors has expanded south of the border for the first time in anticipation of increased legal activity after Brexit.

Legislation providing for the May referendum on divorce has been approved by the Dáil and is now set to be considered by the Seanad. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan and Culture Minister Josepha Madigan, a solicitor who has pushed for divorce reform, have welcomed the passage of the Thirty-e

Proposals to amend the Constitution to remove the requirement for spouses to live apart for a minimum of four years out of the preceding five before they can be granted a divorce have been published. Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan yesterday announced the Government's wording for the amendment of

The Oireachtas joint committee on justice and equality will produce a report on family law reform following the last of a series of meetings on the subject. The committee heard evidence this morning from Dr Geoffrey Shannon, special rapporteur on child protection; Kenneth Burns, UCC senior lecturer

Ms Justice Tara Burns has been appointed as chair of the referendum commission for this May's divorce referendum. The appointment paves the way for the referendum to take place on 24 May 2019, the same day as local and European elections.

Amnesty International has welcomed a report calling on the UK Government to legalise same-sex marriage in British Overseas Territories (OTs) as strengthening the case for legislation in Northern Ireland. The House of Commons foreign affairs committee has called for all OTs to legalise same-sex marri

The Irish family law system is "in crisis", lawyers have told the Oireachtas joint committee on justice and equality. The committee heard evidence this morning from representatives of the Law Society of Ireland, the Children's Rights Alliance, Rape Crisis Network Ireland and Dr Conor O'Mahony of Uni

Ministers must look at fertility laws, the President of the Family Divison Sir Andrew McFarlane has said, after hearing a case in which a transgender man gave birth. TT underwent NHS fertility treatment, becoming pregnant after completing a gender transition.

The House of Lords is set to debate proposals to legalise same-sex marriage to Northern Ireland later today. Conservative peer Lord Hayward has confirmed he plans to table an amendment to the Civil Partnerships, Marriages and Deaths (Registration Etc.) Bill during committee stage today.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan has dismissed calls for the right not to testify against one's spouse to be extended to unmarried couples, including civil partners and cohabitating couples. The Court of Appeal ruled last month unmarried partners are not amenable to the non-compellability provision