Dealing with the breakdown of a relationship is never easy and you are likely to be concerned about your legal position. Our family lawyers in Hastings are friendly and approachable and will do all we can to help you through this difficult time.
We understand the concerns that you are likely to have, including issues surrounding children, division of assets and dealing with property. We will work to reduce the stress as far as possible and to achieve the best possible outcome on your behalf.
Our family solicitors in Hastings offer a full range of services, including:
- Divorce, separation and civil partnership legal advice
- Child law advice
- Advising on and preparing prenuptial agreements and postnuptial agreements
- Advising on and drafting cohabitation agreements
- Domestic abuse representation and advice
We always aim to deal with matters with as little conflict as possible. By avoiding protracted legal proceedings, we can reduce the time taken and the costs involved in dealing with separation issues.
Our team are experts in negotiating matters and we are often able to resolve even complex cases without the need for litigation. Where necessary, we can guide and support you through mediation or another method of alternative dispute resolution.
If you ask us to represent you, we will always:
- Discuss your case and possible options open to you in clear jargon-free English – so that you know exactly what your situation is
- Ensure that we keep you updated as to progress and that we are easy to contact – so that you can ask us any questions you have and stay up to date with what is happening
- Provide you with a clear costs estimate from the outset – with a detailed quote so that you know exactly how much our fees will be. We know that financial uncertainty can be an issue during a separation, so please feel free to ring us to discuss costs.
Get in touch with our friendly and experienced family law solicitors in Hastings
For advice about family law in Hastings, contact our team who will be happy to help.
Alternatively, you can fill in our online enquiry form, and we will be in touch shortly.
Our family law services in Hastings
Divorce, separation and dissolution of civil partnerships
Our family solicitors in Hastings can advise you in respect of all legal aspects of a relationship breakdown, to include how best to protect your interests in the event of a divorce, separation or dissolution of your civil partnership.
We understand that this is a difficult time for you, and we will be happy to talk through your case so that you know what to expect from the legal process.
We will discuss with you what else needs to happen alongside your divorce or civil partnership dissolution, for example, putting a binding financial agreement in place.
For more information, see divorce, dissolution and separation services.
Children law
If you have children, then putting new arrangements in place for them is likely to be a priority. Our solicitors specialising in arrangements for children can discuss with you the sort of agreement you can expect to achieve and the options open to you.
We have extensive experience in representing clients with children, and our services include the following:
- Negotiating with the solicitors for your child’s other parent to agree on issues such as:
- Who a child will live with and where they will live (formerly referred to as child custody and residence)
- How much time your child will spend with each parent (formerly referred to as access and contact)
- Who else your child will see
- How they will keep in touch when they are not with you or their other parent
- Other major decisions such as which school they will attend, which religion, if any, they will follow and how medical treatment will be agreed
- Discussing and negotiating child maintenance payments
- Issues relating to parental responsibility
- Taking the child out of the country
- Prohibited steps orders, preventing your child’s other parent from taking a certain action
- Specific issue orders, asking the court to rule on a specific aspect in relation to your child
- Advice on changing a child’s name
- Advice for grandparents who wish to have contact with their grandchildren
- Putting your child arrangements agreement in front of the court to be sealed into a binding order
- Mediation
- Applications to the court on your behalf in the event that issues cannot be settled by agreement
For more information, see children law services.
Pre-nuptial agreements and post-nuptial agreements
If you are thinking about getting married, our Hastings family lawyers can draw up a pre-nuptial agreement on your behalf to protect your interests. This can be particularly important if you have more assets going into a marriage than your partner or where you already have children or property.
We can also advise you in respect of a pre-nuptial agreement that has been given to you to sign, to ensure that you understand the implications of signing. Provided certain criteria are met, the courts are often inclined to follow the terms of a pre-nuptial agreement should a couple divorce, so it is important to ensure that the agreement makes adequate provisions for you in the future.
For those who are already married, a post-nuptial agreement offers similar security. It can be useful if one party was to come into money which they wish to try and protect, for example, an inheritance.
For more information, see pre-nup and post-nup services.
Cohabitation agreements and legal advice for those living together
If you are planning on living with someone, either as a couple or as friends or relatives who will be sharing a property, a cohabitation agreement can set out clearly what rights and responsibilities you will each have. Putting a cohabitation agreement in place can prevent disagreements and misunderstandings from arising in the future and may also give you some legal protection that you otherwise would not have as an unmarried person.
For more information, see cohabitation services.
Domestic abuse advice
If you are in an abusive relationship, our family law team can help. Each team member is an ambassador for the Women’s Aid Ask Me, meaning they understand how to listen and help those experiencing abuse.
We will do all we can to ensure you receive the support you need and we can give you advice and guidance so that the situation can be dealt with at once.
Where necessary we can seek a court order protecting you. We also offer the following services to clients who have experienced domestic abuse:
- Divorce, separation and dissolution of civil partnerships
- Taking steps to protect children
- Parental responsibility disputes
- Cohabitation disputes, to include property disputes
We offer related services from colleagues in adjacent areas of law, such as conveyancing, to ensure you have a full and seamless service.
Please note we are not part of the Legal Aid scheme.
For more information, see domestic abuse services.
Get in touch with our friendly, experienced family law solicitors in Hastings
For family law advice in Hastings, contact our friendly and approachable solicitors.
Alternatively, fill in our online enquiry form, and we will be in touch shortly.