Family Law and Divorce Solicitors in Stafford, Wolverhampton, Stoke on Trent, Telford and across Staffordshire

Family Law at 1st Solicitors

Family law Helen Jackson and Nigel Rostance have been providing quality specialist advice to families in Staffordshire with professionalism and sensitivity for many years. The fact that the majority of the new client referrals result from recommendations is testimony to the quality service provided at 1st Solicitors.

1st Solicitors can provide specialist advice on the breakdown of relationship of all kinds, including the following:

At 1st Solicitors, we will also advise on the best method of addressing your particular difficulties and, in addition, make applications to court when required and make referrals to mediation. We also offer a Collaborative Law Service. In Collaborative Law, the parties agree not to go to court and issues are resolved directly in a series of meetings of the parties and their Collaborative Lawyers.

Divorce
The end of a marriage is often a time of distress, fear for the future and grief. And the divorce itself is only one of many issues which may need to be addressed. Our divorce solicitors can guide you through this difficult time with sensitivity and understanding. We endorse the Code of practice of Resolution: First for Family Law (formerly the Solicitors Family Law Association). As divorce solicitors we can offer comprehensive advice on divorce and separation, and on their implications.

Children
Children can so easily be damaged by adult disputes
We know how important your children are. We can help you to resolve disputes about all aspects of their care and welfare including Residence and Contact (formerly Custody and Access) and Parental Responsibility . Many fathers may be unaware that they do not automatically have Parental Responsibility (parental rights) if their child's birth was registered before 1st December 2003 and they were not married to the mother.

Domestic Abuse and Violence
Abuse takes place in all kinds of relationships.
Domestic abuse can include actual violence but also inappropriate sexual behaviour express or implied threats or emotional abuse or ‘mind games’. It can have a debilitating affect on you and on children, even if not directed at them.
We provide a sympathetic and confidential service to victims, and to those accused of abuse and advise on your protection and occupation of the family home.

Living Together
Many people believe that after cohabiting or living together for some time, partners have rights to property as Common Law Husband and Wife. They don’t!
In relation to financial issues, pensions and often in relation to children, their rights are quite different and are almost always inferior to those of married couples.We offer advice when you need it.Not just at the end of a relationship but when you contemplate buying property together.

Same Sex Relationships
As from the 5th December 2006, same sex couples who choose to register their civil partnership have rights very similar to married couples in relation to children, property and financial issues. If the relationship breaks down then the grounds for dissolution of the partnership are very similar to divorce and, on dissolution, the parties have rights to apply to court for financial settlement.

Mediation
Court proceedings are expensive, and they can make difficult relationships worse and ultimately result in important decisions about your home or children being made by someone else.
We support the principles of mediation. We can offer referral to quality assured mediation services where we cannot mediate through 1st Mediation due to conflict of interest. We can advise on the outcome of mediation and if appropriate formalise your agreement by Court Order or Separation Agreement.