Celebrities, coercion, and Lady Hale: our round-up of news for January 2020

If you missed what we’ve been sharing last month, here’s a round up of our blogs and some of the news posts on our Facebook and Twitter pages.

From our blog:

Gold Digger: the middle class façade of happy families

We’re you gripped by the TV series "Gold Digger"? It's a terrific drama that peels away the veneer of respectability in middle class life. We've seen all the resulting family law issues first hand here at LGFL.

New Year new You

Our article explores the impact Christmas can have on an already strained relationship or marriage, and how legal advice is a crucial first step towards separating and getting a divorce.

Men are victims too: the ManKind domestic violence conference

The first in a series of new articles on an under-reported and misunderstood issue in modern relationships: domestic violence against men.

⁣

Breaking up after all these years: celebrity divorce in 2019

Our roundup of the top celebrity divorces of 2019, including a top Hollywood actor divorcing after just a few days of marriage, and a Labrador at the centre of a substantial financial settlement dispute.

⁣

Men are victims too: domestic violence, emotional abuse and coercive control

Our second article on domestic violence against men looks at the impact of abuse to the, their families and their friends. Director Rita Gupta examines the impact of:
• children witnessing domestic violence
• court action to enforce child arrangements on finances
• coercive control over men

⁣

From our social media:

Three-quarters of domestic abuse victims trying to flee partner hit with ‘insidious’ technological abuse

Three in four domestic abuse victims have been exposed to “controlling, humiliating or monitoring” behaviour by their former partners using technology, new figures show.

Lady Hale: 'My Desert Island Judgments? Number one would probably be the prorogation case'

Let's hear it for Lady Hale. This is a great read.

Cameras in court risks chucking judges under the bus

Lights, camera… but is there a court for action?

Marco Pierre White and estranged wife Matilde in High Court money row

The ongoing saga of chef's separation/divorce and money. Mr White says he cannot afford to pay what he has been ordered to and wants a review.

‘Pioneer’ Lady Hale praised ahead of retirement as Supreme Court president

Let's hear it for Lady Hale.
The 1st woman appointed to the Law Commission, the 1st female Law Lord, the 1st female Supreme Court justice and the 1st woman president of the Supreme Court – was “an inspiration to women, and especially to women lawyers”.

Conversations - Episode 1

Marking Family Mediation Week.

Listen to the podcast from Family mediation week speaking to members of Family Mediation Council about the results of their 2019 Family Mediation Survey and the benefits of mediation to separating families.

Why separate beds are good for your health... and marriage

Bed breaks and their benefits?

Man locked in court battle with ex-wife requests trial by combat — but asks judge for 12 weeks to source samurai swords

Trial by combat…with samurai swords? Not the best approach to divorce.

Domestic abuse cases abandoned too quickly when victims retreat – study

This article does make for sad reading. Funding issues are having a great impact.
“The domestic abuse caseload for both the CPS and the police has increased by 88% against the backdrop of a 25% reduction in police and CPS funding,”

Family judges could get training after row over comments on rape

This is a welcome move, and we fully support this type of training. However, this was a disappointing comment in the light of current research, and a growing acceptance of just how far coercive control and psychological abuse can go.

Domestic abusers winning time with children by accusing mothers of parental alienation, study finds

More needs to be done to correctly define and recognise 'parental alienation'.

Abusive men are winning time with their children by accusing mothers who have won custody of turning their child against them, a new report has found.

Hounds of love: The rise of pet custody battles in divorce settlements

We do love our pets!

Why promoted women are more likely to divorce

The article comes to this summary:

“divorce isn’t always a bad thing. …Getting a divorce doesn’t always need to be the end of the world,…It’s not necessarily ideal to stay with the same person your whole life.”

'Marriage Story was stunningly on-point': what divorce lawyers want you to know

Summed up by a nice quote in the article:
“No one really goes in with the right knowledge when they start a divorce. They think it will be quite straightforward – but it never is.”

Understanding family justice and protecting the victims of abuse

Interesting to hear the judges viewpoint from the Judge himself.