09Advisory
Family & Matrimonial Matters
Discreet, considered representation in matrimonial and family matters.
Family and matrimonial matters call for a discreet, considered approach that is sensitive to the personal nature of these disputes while remaining focused on the client’s legal position. We advise and represent clients across contentious and consent-based family proceedings.
Services & Matters Handled
- Divorce and judicial separation
- Maintenance and alimony matters
- Child custody and guardianship
- Matrimonial property matters
- Domestic violence proceedings
What To Bring
Typical information that helps us assess a matter of this kind:
- Marriage and family-related documentation
- A clear, confidential account of the matter
- Any prior legal correspondence or filings
How a matter of this kind proceeds
Confidential consultation
We establish the position, the immediate risks — to safety, to children, to assets — and what you actually want the outcome to be.
Urgent protection where needed
Where there is a question of safety, residence or immediate maintenance, protective applications take priority over everything else.
Proceedings or settlement
Petitions are filed in the family court, with mediation or a negotiated settlement pursued in parallel where that serves the client and any children involved.
Decree and ancillary relief
Custody, maintenance and property issues are resolved alongside or after the principal relief.
Timelines are indicative only. Listing and hearing dates are set by the court or tribunal concerned and are outside the firm’s control.
Who you would work with
Common questions
Will these proceedings be public?
Family court proceedings are ordinarily held in camera, and the court can restrict publication of matters concerning the parties and any children. Discretion is also a matter of how a case is run, and we run these matters accordingly.
How is custody decided?
The court's governing consideration is the welfare of the child, not the preference of either parent. Age, existing arrangements, the child's own wishes where old enough, and the capacity of each parent to provide care are all weighed.
Is a mutual consent divorce quicker?
It is ordinarily simpler and less contested, and proceeds in two motions with a statutory interval between them that the court may in appropriate cases waive. It requires agreement on the ancillary issues — maintenance, custody and property — which is where the real negotiation usually sits.
Next Practice Area
Constitutional & Public Law