family law reform

30 years of campaigning set to pay off
In his column for The Review, Colin Jones looks back at the path to victory for the Divorce, Diss...
- Members only

Resolution welcomes landmark divorce law
No-fault divorce given go-ahead as the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill clears final stages of parliamentary scrutiny.

Resolution welcomes MPs’ support for no-fault divorce
MPs vote overwhelmingly for no-fault divorce

Open letter: Misconceptions about no-fault divorce legislation
In response to misconceptions about no-fault divorce legislation, Resolution has today published an open letter as the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill is debated by MPs.
Write to your MP about no-fault divorce
MP's will shortly be voting on the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill which will finally introduce no-fault divorce into law.

Now, more than ever, transparency matters
With Covid-19 shifting cases overnight to digital-only, there is an urgent need to consider trans...
- Members only

Resolution briefs Peers on Divorce Bill
Resolution has briefed members of the House of Lords ahead of the Committee Stage of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill, which would make no-fault divorce a reality.

Policy briefing, February 2020
In the first policy briefing of 2020, we update members on the campaign to finally secure no-faul...
- Members only

Resolution welcomes an end to the blame game
Former National Chair Nigel Shepherd comments on the reintroduction of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill into Parliament.

Resolution welcomes re-introduction of family justice legislation
Today's (19th Dec) Queen's Speech announced the re-introduction of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill, and the Domestic Abuse Bill.

President’s proposed child reforms: a good start, but more needs to be done
In this article from The Review Edward Cooke analyses the activity of the private children law wo...
- Members only

Resolution’s past Chair Nigel Shepherd receives top award
Resolution's former Chair, Nigel Shepherd, was recognised for his outstanding contribution at the Family Law Awards held in London last night (27 November).

Ask your local parliamentary candidates to support Fairness for Families
Resolution has now launched our Fairness for Families manifesto and members are encouraged to get involved on a local level.

Fairness for Families Manifesto
Ahead of the 2019 General Election, Resolution launched our Fairness for Families manifesto. This was part of our ongoing work to support members to persuade Parliamentarians from all parties to support family law reform.

Resolution calls for “fairness for families” election pledge
Resolution has today written to political party leaders, urging them to prioritise much-needed family justice reforms in their election manifestos.

Policy briefing: November 2019
We've compiled all Resolution's policy work from the last three months into this digest, which al...
- Members only

Justice Committee report on Court reform
The Justice Select Committee has published its report into court and tribunal reforms. The report draws on evidence given by Resolution and others, and finds that the modernisation programme could leave vulnerable people unable to get the legal advice or decisions they need.

Parliamentary Lobby Day update
Due to the general election, Resolution's Lobby Day has been cancelled.

How will family law develop over the next 50 years?
Lady Hale’s speech on “What is a 21st century family” is a must read for any family practitioner....
- Members only

Resolution Chair comments on Supreme Court judgment on the prorogation of Parliament
Responding to the Supreme Court judgment on the prorogation of Parliament, Margaret Heathcote said: “With today’s Supreme Court judgment, the prorogation of Parliament has been ruled null and void....

Response to dropped Divorce Bill in wake of suspended Parliament
Jo Edwards, Chair of the Family Law Reform Group, responds to David Gauke's tweet about the Divorce Bill being dropped.

Children and Family Law Forum
This one day event will provide a comprehensive update on emergent issues in child and family law.

Calderbank consultation: Share your views
Share your views and support our response to the Family Procedure Rules Committee (FPRC) on the functioning of the current costs regime in financial remedy cases.

Government highlights the impact of our no-fault campaign
Written before last week's events, today Resolution received a letter from Lucy Frazer, on behalf of the Family Justice Minister Wendy Morton, demonstrating the impact our work had on getting the Divorce Bill published.
Family Law Reform Group
The Family Law Reform Group is made up of National Committee members to monitor and oversee out campaigning and policy priorities.

Perspectives on The Law Commission and Surrogacy Law Reform
Last Friday, 19 July 2019, I attended The Law Commission’s surrogacy consultation event at Exeter...
- Members only
Improve family justice
Resolution campaigns on behalf of our members and their clients for improvements to the family justice system. Our committees work together to set best practice and influence the direction of family law and justice to better serve the families we work with.

Policy Briefing June 2019
As the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill completes its second reading, we look at all the policy developments in family law over the past three months.

Family Justice Question Time 2019
This is a recording of the Family Justice Question Time from Resolution's National Conference in ...
- Members only

Domestic Abuse Draft Bill – Report of the Joint Committee
Resolution welcomes the report of the Parliamentary committee examining the draft Domestic Abuse Bill, and we hope the final Bill will reflect many of its recommendations.

Resolution welcomes new Bill to end the blame game
The Government has published the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill, which will provide for no fault divorce.

Join our campaign for no-fault divorce
With the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill currently making its way through Parliament, there are plenty of ways you can join our call for no fault divorce. Keep checking back here for more information.

Consultation responses
Resolution is often asked to respond to government consultations on issues relating to family law in England and Wales.
No-fault divorce
Resolution believes the laws surrounding divorce should be changed, to allow couples to separate without having to apportion blame on a legal document, and without having to wait at least two years before they can divorce.

Good Divorce Week 2020
Each year, Resolution campaigns on a policy issue that is close to the heart of our membership of...
- Members only

Family Law Insights: Margaret Heathcote
Resolution's National Chair, Margaret Heathcote, talks to Rebecca Bailey-Harris, as part of Lexis...
- Members only

Don’t let Brexit hold up divorce reform, says family justice body
Resolution has urged government to prioritise vital divorce law reform to reduce conflict between separating couples.

Policy briefing April 2019
In April's policy briefing, we look at the government's divorce reform announcement, new findings from BSA on common-law marriage and more.

Resolution welcomes government commitment on no-fault divorce
Resolution has welcomed the government's renewed commitment to reform family law to allow for no-fault divorce.

Resolution responds to Legal Aid Review
Resolution responds to the Ministry of Justice's long-awaited review into the impact of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act (LASPO).

Cohabitation Committee Chair responds to new common-law marriage figures
Cohabitation Committee Chair Graeme Fraser responds to new figures released by NatCen showing 46% of British adults mistakenly believe in legal protections from common-law marriage.

National Chair comments on government publishing draft domestic abuse bill
Margaret Heathcote, National Chair of Resolution, comments as government publishes their draft domestic abuse bill.

Policy Briefing January 2019
Highlights from our Good Divorce Week 2018 and all the developments in family law policy.

Campaigning for change
Resolution works to raise awareness of family law issues and the benefits of constructive and non-confrontational approaches to family disputes. All our policy and campaigns work is informed by the experiences of our members - family law practitioners - and their clients, and is driven by a network of member-led committees.

Divorce law reform urgently needed to reduce impact on children
Resolution urges government to reform divorce law as soon as possible, during the annual Good Divorce Week 2019.

HMCTS: Family Reform
This HMCTS Family Reform event was aimed at family law practitioners and professional court users...
- Members only

Resolution heralds ‘landmark moment’ for divorce law
Responding to the news that the government intends to introduce no-fault divorce, the family justice body Resolution has welcomed the plans, which it says will reduce conflict among separating couples.

Policy briefing September 2018
As we edge closer to securing no-fault divorce this policy briefing looks at developments in court modernisation, supporting vulnerable people and reform for cohabiting couples.

Resolution comments on the Supreme Court judgement on Widowed Parent’s Allowance

As wedding season hits its annual peak, thousands opt out of saying ‘I do’
This Saturday (18 August) is set to be the most popular day this year for weddings in England and Wales. However, the number of people who decide to walk down the aisle continues to fall as more couples chose to live together unmarried.

Response to Legal Aid Agency: Amended Costs Assessment Guidance
Resolution's Legal Aid Committee has prepared this response to the Legal Aid Agency on the amended costs assessment guidance.

Supreme Court rules woman ‘must stay married’ as family law experts warn of ‘divorce crisis’
Divorce denied by Supreme Court today forces Mrs Owens to remain married to Mr Owens against her will.Call on politicians from all parties to back measures to reform outdated laws.1.7m people compelled to apportion blame in divorce since failed attempt to provide no-fault divorce option in 1996.

Resolution welcomes Parliamentary report on “highly ambitious” courts modernisation programme
The Public Accounts Committee has today published its report following its enquiry into the HMCTS Transforming Courts and Tribunals Programme. The report calls the £1.2 billion modernisation programme “highly ambitious” and says “there is a significant risk that HMCTS will fail to deliver the benefits it expects”

Resolution, The Law Society and Women’s Aid issue joint call to Government to urgently ban cross-examination of victims by their abusers in the family courts
Resolution, The Law Society and Women’s Aid have issued a joint call to the government to urgently bring forward promised legislation banning the cross-examination of domestic abuse victims by alleged perpetrators in the family courts, ahead of a parliamentary debate on the progress in protecting victims of domestic abuse in the family courts today (Wednesday 18thJuly).

Resolution comments on the Supreme Court civil partnerships judgement
Speaking about this morning’s Supreme Court judgment in favour of civil partnerships for opposite sex couples, Graeme Fraser, Chair of Resolution’s Cohabitation Committee, said:

Evidence submitted to the Public Accounts Committee: The HMCTS Court Modernisation Programme
Resolution provided this written evidence to the Public Accounts Committee on the progress of the HMCTS Court Modernisation Programme.

Policy Briefing June 2018
Our June 2018 Policy Brief looks at developments in court modernisation, no-fault divorce, Brexit and cohabiting couples.

End the Blame Game, say family lawyers as landmark divorce case heads to Supreme Court
Senior family lawyers gathered outside Parliament today to call on Government to reform outdated divorce laws and remove the need for blame from the process.

Transforming the response to domestic abuse
Resolution’s Domestic Abuse Committee responds to the consultation: Transforming the response to domestic abuse.

Family Justice Question Time 2018
This plenary session was recorded at Resolution's National Conference in April 2018 at Bristol.

Time to end the divorce blame game
Hundreds of family lawyers are gathering to highlight the urgent need to introduce no-fault divorce. The call for change takes place at the annual conference of Resolution, the national family justice organisation.

Resolution Chair responds to further delay of legal aid review
In response to today's comments from the Justice Minister to further postpone the review of legal aid, and alongside the announced changes to the cross-examination of vulnerable witnesses, Resolution Chair Nigel Shepherd said:

Response to the modernisation of judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters in the EU
Resolution's International Committee responds to the modernisation of judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters in the EU.

Response: Fit for the Future consultation
Resolution responds the the Ministry of Justice and HM Courts and Tribunals Service's consultation on transforming the Tribunal Estate.

Policy Briefing March 2018
Key developments in family law on Brexit, no-fault divorce and cohabiting couples rights.

Resolution comments on HMCTS’s digital divorce system
Resolution Chair Nigel Shepherd comments on HMCTS's digital divorce system.

Response to the SRA: Looking to the future
Response to the SRA: Looking to the future

Cohabitation Awareness Week 2017
From 27 November to 1 December 2017, Resolution members across the country took part in our Cohabitation Awareness Raising Week. The aim of the week was to raise awareness of the common-law marriage myth and to campaign for legal change to provide at least basic support for separating cohabitants.

Cohabitation Awareness week 2017: Joint letter to the Times
During Cohabitation Awareness week 2017, the Times led with our joint letter calling for change, signed by 17 partner organisations.

Millions of couples at severe financial risk due to ‘common-law marriage’ myth
Millions of unmarried couples living together are unaware that they are at severe financial risk as a result of the current legal system, national family justice organisation Resolution has warned.

Response to HM Courts and Tribunal Service on the Flexible Operating Hours Prospectus
Resolution has submitted a response to HM Courts and Tribunal Service on the Flexible Operating Hours Prospectus. Our response focuses on the Family Court and the fifth pilot model in Manchester Civil Justice Centre.

Response to the Family Procedure Rule Committee – Procedural changes relating to applications for a financial remedy
Our response has been prepared by members of Resolution’s Property, Tax and Pensions Committee and International Committee who deal with divorce and financial remedy applications on a regular basis.

Response to Family Procedure Rules Committee – Vulnerable persons: Participation in proceedings and giving evidence
Resolution's response to the Family Procedure Rules Committee on vulnerable persons, their participation in proceedings and giving evidence.

The implications of Brexit for the justice system
Written evidence submitted by Resolution to the Justice Select Committee on the implications of Brexit for the justice system.

Response to the Ministry of Justice: Transforming our Justice System
Resolution responds to the Ministry of Justice's consultation on Transforming our Justice System.

Response: EU proposal to revise Brussels II recast
Response: EU proposal to revise Brussels II recast

Evidence from Resolution: The Bach Commission on Access to Justice
Resolution provided evidence to the Bach Commission on Access to Justice.

Response to the Ministry of Justice and HMCTS: Provision of court and tribunal estate
Resolution responds to the national proposal on the provision of court and tribunal estate in England and Wales.

Response to the Ministry of Justice and HMCTS: Provision of court and tribunal estate
Resolution responds to the national proposal on the provision of court and tribunal estate in England and Wales.

Response to the Government Equalities Office: Civil Partnership Review
Resolution responds to the Government Equalities Office's Review of civil partnerships.

Response to Law Commission consultation on intestacy and family provision claims on death
Resolution responds to the Law Commission's consultation on intestacy and family provision claims on death.

Response to Law Commission Consultation on Cohabitation
Resolution's response to the Law Commission Consultation on Cohabitation.

Resolution response: Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme
Resolution's response to the 2012 Home Office consultation on the cross-government definition of domestic violence.