Family Law

Long-awaited reforms to Ireland's family courts have reached an "important milestone" with the publication of the first National Family Justice Strategy and the impending publication of the Family Court Bill, the justice minister has said. Helen McEntee yesterday confirmed that she had received appr

Northern Ireland’s High Court has rejected an appeal against a contact order where the applicant was refusing to accept her son’s guilt in relation to the death of a child in his care. The court found that the applicant was prioritising her relationship with her son over her relationship

The High Court has refused an application by a woman for a declaration that she was a qualified cohabitant of a deceased man who was married to another woman. The woman claimed to have been in a committed, exclusive relationship with the man for several years and therefore sought orders for property

Belfast lawyer Claire Edgar has delivered a talk on domestic abuse to lawyers at the Jersey International Family Law Conference 2022. Ms Edgar, family law partner at Francis Hanna & Co Solicitors, spoke on domestic abuse in the context of divorce and and ancillary relief proceedings to legal pro

The High Court has ruled that the Dublin Circuit Court was wrong to refuse to hear a divorce application on the basis that the husband, a solicitor, did not carry on his profession in the county. The couple lived outside Dublin and the husband was based in the south-west of the State. As such, the m

Callan Tansey Solicitors LLP has announced the appointment of Orlagh Sharkey as partner and head of the firm's family law department. Ms Sharkey has extensive experience in all areas of family law, including negotiating agreements on childcare, financial and property issues arising from divorce and

The High Court has ruled that a child must be returned to Poland after she was taken to Ireland by her mother in August 2021. The father had made an application under the Child Abduction Regulations, claiming that he had no knowledge that his child had been removed from Poland. Delivering judgment i

Midlands firm J.D. Scanlon & Co has announced the appointment of Hilary Cahalan as a solicitor. The general practice law firm now employs eight solicitors and a total of 20 staff.

Belfast-based MKB Law has announced the appointment of Emma Jamison to the position of associate director within the family law department. Ms Jamison joins Anne Marie Kelly, head of the department and one of the founding partners of the firm, alongside colleagues Aine Toner, associate director, and

Northern Ireland's High Court has rejected the most recent claim in a long-running dispute, relating to custody of a 10-year-old boy. The court found that the father had an "inability to prioritise his son’s welfare over his own obsession", and his claims that video call contact was “ter

Two lawyers with P.A. Duffy & Co Solicitors have been recognised as accredited specialist family lawyers with Reunite International. Conal McGarrity and Carla Fraser, both based in the all-island firm's Belfast office, have been recognised for their experience dealing with international children

Northern Ireland’s High Court has set aside a child return order, which the judge previously granted, after new evidence of the father’s behaviour was brought to light. The court found that the father, living in France, had been involved in continuing and escalating threatening behaviour

Northern Ireland’s High Court has rejected an appeal for contact where it was found that a step-father was not acting in the best interests of a 15-year-old girl. The court noted that the father had initiated contact with the girl, had discussed inappropriate topics, and had abducted the girl

Northern Ireland’s Court of Appeal has dismissed an appeal where a father claimed that a contact order for his children was "unworkable" and costly. The court found that the trial judge had not erred in making the order. This case involved three appeals, which are part of a long-running family

The new dedicated family courts complex at Hammond Lane should be completed as quickly as possible to help address the shortage of courthouses in Dublin, the Oireachtas justice committee has said. In a new report on courts and courthouses, the committee also called for upgrades to Naas courthouse an