NEWS
Getting Divorced?
Posted 8 April 2022
The new divorce law regime is now upon us which will enable couples to issue divorce proceedings without having to blame the other party.
Up until now, unless couples waited for at least two years from separation before applying for a divorce, they were only able to apply for a divorce if they blamed the other party for the breakdown in the marriage, and relied on one of the three fault grounds of adultery, behaviour or desertion.
At long last, Parliament has recognised that this approach is outdated. The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 comes into effect on the 6th April 2022. Couples no longer have to prolong the misery of an unhappy marriage by waiting for at least two years before divorce proceedings can begin, or by making an already distressing situation far worse by blaming the other party for the breakdown.
From the 6th April 2022, either party or both parties together will be able to apply to the court to end the marriage. Hopefully the new changes will reduce the unnecessary bitterness that divorce proceedings often bring, which can in turn impact on the arrangements for children and affect the parties’ ability to reach an amicable financial settlement.
All of our family lawyers at Jackson Quinn are members of Resolution, an organisation of family lawyers whose aim is to promote a fair and conciliatory atmosphere when dealing with family cases in a sensitive, constructive, and cost-effective way. Resolution have been instrumental in campaigning for the new “no-fault” divorce legislation that has come into force and as active members, we welcome these new changes.
Please contact our family department for further advice. We offer a 30-minute free advice meeting or an in-depth fixed fee one hour appointment with one of our dedicated family lawyers, during which we will be able to advise you in more detail about the new legal basis for a divorce, the procedure involved, likely costs and other issues that may need to be resolved arising out of your separation, including children and finances.
If you feel that you are in need of advice and assistance, please contact us:
Email: admin@jacksonquinn.com
Phone:
Nottingham 0115 9487811
Retford 01777 703111
Worksop 01909 480066
Mansfield 01623 277101
Newark 01623 610175
Author : Helen Pilgrim
Helen Pilgrim is a Legal Executive based at our Retford office
Domestic Abuse Support for Men
Posted 11th March 2021
One in six men will be a victim of domestic abuse during their lifetime according to ManKind[1], an organisation helping men escape domestic abuse. This abuse can take place in a variety of ways including psychological, physical, sexual, financial, and emotional abuse. Domestic abuse features in both heterosexual and same sex relationships to men from every background, regardless of culture, race, occupation, or age.
Domestic abuse cases have sadly increased in number as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic with victims finding themselves stuck in their homes with their abuser. But unfortunately for many men, reaching out for support can be a struggle due to a belief in a stigma associated with abuse, with many men often feeling embarrassed and that they will not be believed, or that there will be repercussions if they do speak out.
The first step to preventing domestic abuse is to speak to someone and seek support. There are several charitable organisations which help men suffering from domestic abuse by providing support and advice. ManKind Initiative have a confidential helpline for men suffering from domestic abuse and domestic violence to call weekdays from 10am – 4pm, whilst Respect Men’s Advice Line have a Freephone number in operation weekdays from 9am – 8pm. They also offer email support, and a web chat on their website. If you are in immediate danger, you should not hesitate in calling 999.
It is also important to know that if you are suffering from domestic abuse, you can seek legal advice. It is possible to obtain a Non-Molestation Order against your abuser (an abuser being someone you’re having or have had a relationship with; a family member; or someone you’re living or have lived with). A Non-Molestation Order would prevent your abuser from exhibiting or threatening violence against you or instructing anyone else to do so; intimidating, harassing or threatening you or in any way or suggesting that any third party should do so; contacting you or instructing, encouraging or in any way suggesting that any third party should do so; and from attending your property.
At Jackson Quinn we provide 30 minute free advice sessions in relation to domestic abuse issues.
It is important to be able to recognise abuse, and be able to gain support, for both yourself and your family.
If you feel that you are in need of advice and support, please make contact us:
Email: admin@jacksonquinn.com
Phone:
Nottingham 0115 9487811
Retford 01777 703111
Worksop 01909 480066
Mansfield 01623 277101
Newark 01623 610175
For emergency support on family matters out of hours: 07765779334
Alternatively, here are some details of organisations who provide support for male victims of domestic abuse:
ManKind Initiative:
· Telephone: 01823 334244
Respect Men’s Advice Line:
[1] https://www.mankind.org.uk/help-for-victims/
Author: Alicia Snape
Alicia Snape is a Paralegal based at our Retford office.
For all your conveyancing needs
Posted 24th November 2020
- Found the home of your dreams?
- Selling your home?
- Taking that first exciting step on the property ladder?
- Needing to transfer your interest in a property or re-mortgage?
Jackson Quinn are here to help you with all of your conveyancing needs.
Buying or selling a home can be very exciting. It can also be a worrying time as things happen along the way. As a team we will work hard to ensure that the process is as stress free as possible and to provide you with an excellent service.
There are many different circumstances when you may need to instruct us; the sad passing of a family member, the breakdown of a relationship or simply that you want to move and have found the place that you want to call home. You can rest assured that our team of experienced conveyancers will deal with your personal situation sensitively and proactively to see you through your transaction as it progresses, whilst providing you with expert advice along the way.
It is possible for most straight forward transactions to complete within 8 – 12 weeks. If your sale or purchase is in a chain involving multiple transactions then this can impact on those timescales, and if your transaction is legally complex, then it can also take longer. If your sale or purchase involves a leasehold property, solar panels or is a new build property, then it may not be straightforward and take longer to complete than normal. If that is the case, then we will let you know at the earliest opportunity so you know what to expect.
We know only too well that the conveyancing process can seem daunting. We can assure you that we will be able to support and guide you through the whole process, and if you have any queries, no matter how big or small, we are more than happy to help.
Due to the current Covid 19 pandemic, the Government has granted a Stamp Duty holiday which runs up until the 31st March 2021. This means that anyone purchasing a house up to the value of £500,000.00 will not have to pay Stamp Duty. This doesn’t apply when buying a second home. Despite the UK going into a second period of lockdown as of 5th November 2020, people can still move home, so if you are looking to move and have found the home of your dreams, why not take advantage of the Stamp Duty Holiday and take the plunge to move now?
If you are looking at buying or selling, re-mortgaging or transferring your legal interest, then contact us without delay for a competitive quote.
Contact us today:
Email: r.hirst@jacksonquinn.com
Phone:
- Nottingham: 0115 9487811
- Retford: 01777 703111
- Worksop: 01909 480066
- Mansfield 01623 277101
- Newark 01636 610175
Domestic Abuse – is this affecting you or someone you know?
Posted 8th November 2020
Domestic abuse happens all too often and sometimes people just do not realise it is happening to them and/or do not know where to turn to when they need help.
What is domestic abuse? It is defined as an incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening, degrading and violent behaviour, including sexual violence. Domestic abuse can include, but is not limited to coercive control, psychological and/or emotional abuse, financial abuse, harassment and stalking and online or digital abuse. In the majority of cases the behaviour is from a partner or ex-partner but also a family member or carer.
Are you concerned about your relationship?
Do you feel like you are treading on eggshells to avoid a row?
Do you feel like you are not seeing your friends or family as often and making excuses?
Do you feel like your partner is constantly checking up on you?
Are you scared to leave your relationship?
Please don’t feel like you are alone. Here at Jackson Quinn we have a dedicated Family team who are here to help and can provide you with specialist legal advice and discuss whether you need to seek the protection of a Non-Molestation and/or Occupation Order.
A Non-Molestation Order prohibits a person (the respondent) from molesting the person applying for the Order (the applicant) or a related child. A Non-Molestation Order can include conditions prohibiting the respondent from using or threatening any violence, coming within a specified distance of the family home, sending any abusive letters, texts or other communications, communicating in any way except through a Solicitor or threatening or using abusive language.
An Occupation Order regulates the occupation of a property.
An application for a Non Molestation Order can be made without the respondent having to be made aware of it until after the Order has been granted. This is relevant where the applicant is in immediate danger, or when notifying the respondent in advance of the Order would place the applicant at risk of physical harm.
We can also assist to signpost you to organisations in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire and the surrounding areas who can offer support with housing and financial issues etc.
Jackson Quinn have offices in Nottingham, Retford, Worksop, Newark and Mansfield. We offer a free 30 minute advice appointment which will enable you to obtain information as to the options available to you in a sensitive and confidential manner. We will also assess your eligibility for Legal Aid in order to fund your case.
If you feel that you are in need of advice and support, please make contact us:
Email: admin@jacksonquinn.com
Phone:
Nottingham 0115 9487811
Retford 01777 703111
Worksop 01909 480066
Mansfield 01623 277101
Newark 01623 610175
For emergency support on family matters out of hours: 07765779334
Author: Michelle Atherton
Michelle Atherton is a Chartered Legal Executive.
Here to help with all your Family Law needs
Posted 23 October 2020
Family law matters could affect us all at some point in our lives. Whether this involves divorce, children, separation or domestic abuse matters. These can be stressful, upsetting and complex times in life, so it is important to find a reliable, honest, and knowledgeable family lawyer to deal with such important matters.
Here at Jackson Quinn, we have seven family law specialists based over five offices – Nottingham, Retford, Worksop, Newark, and Mansfield – who can help assist and advise on a variety of family law matters.
Our family lawyers specialise in the following areas of law:
- Relationship Advice
- Marriage & Civil Partnerships
- Cohabiting Couples
- Children – Private law and Public Law
- Financial Issues on Divorce
- Domestic Violence
- Collaborative Law
- Grandparents Rights
We have a wide variety of expertise, with our family lawyers specialising in different areas of family law to ensure that you gain the best advice tailored to your individual needs. With an initial telephone call to your nearest office, we can inform you which family lawyer can deal with your matter and ensure that an initial appointment is organised within a short period. We understand that during times of needs, reassurance and support are of paramount importance.
We also offer free 30 minute advice appointments for a variety of family law matters. These appointments offer the opportunity to gain advice and learn about the available options for your specific needs, with no obligation to instruct if you decide not to. You may also be eligible for public funding (Legal Aid) to assist in financing your matter, depending on your circumstances, and advice can be offered in respect of this at an initial meeting.
With appointments available over the telephone or face to face, it has never been so easy to access support and advice in relation to family matters. Why not phone one of our offices today or contact us by email.
Contact us today:
Email: admin@jacksonquinn.com
Website: https://www.jacksonquinn.com/
Phone:
- Nottingham: 0115 9487811
- Retford: 01777 703111
- Worksop: 01909 480066
- Mansfield 01623 277101
- Newark 01636 610175
For emergency support on family matters out of hours: 07765779334
Author: Alicia Snape
Alicia Snape is a Family Paralegal based at our Retford Office.
Important Client Support Update
Will Making during the Covid-19 crisis
Posted 9th June 2020
At Jackson Quinn, we recognise how important it is to make a Will, especially in these difficult times, to ensure that your family and friends are protected and your estate is executed exactly as you would wish. The current COVID-19 crisis has led many of us to think about what would happen to our estate in the event of our death, and so now, perhaps more than ever, it is important to plan ahead and get our affairs in order.
We are pleased to announce that we have resumed our Will writing service and are now taking instructions over the telephone and by video call where possible. We had to suspend our Will service when we made the hard decision to close our offices following the Covid-19 crisis to protect our clients and staff. However, the Ministry of Justice has confirmed that the Government’s definition of Key Workers involves solicitors who act in the preparation of wills, and we recognise the importance of this service to all of our clients.
Whilst face to face meetings may not currently be possible, we are committed to providing our clients with a high level of service during these challenging times, and as such we can offer telephone/video call appointment at your convenience to take instructions and answer any questions that you may have. We have procedures in place for the signing of wills whilst stay at home and social distancing measures are in place, and we will be happy to guide you through the process and make it as straight forward and easy as possible.
To arrange an appointment please contact the office on 01777 703111 and a member of staff will be in touch with you, or alternatively contact us via our website/facebook page and provide us with your email address and we will get in touch with you.
For more information please visit our website at : https://www.jacksonquinn.com
Author: Helen Pilgrim
Helen Pilgrim is a Chartered Legal Executive based at our Retford Office.
CHILD ARRANGEMENTS ORDERS DURING CORONAVIRUS
Posted 27 March 2020
The President of the Family Division has provided some helpful guidance as to what parents who have children subject to Child Arrangements Order should do during the Coronavirus Crisis. He begins by urging parents to act safely and sensibly.
Parents must abide by the ‘Rules on Staying at Home and Away from Others’ issued by the government on 23rd March. These rules clearly state that it is not permitted for a person (this includes a child) outside their home for any purpose other than essential shopping, daily exercise, medical need or attending essential work.
The government also provided guidance alongside these rules specifically to deal with contact arrangements which state “Where parents do not live in the same household, children under 18 can be moved between their parents’ homes.” This therefore provides an exception to the stay at home rules but it does not mean that children must be moved between homes. This decision is to be made by the parents after considering all of the circumstances to include the child’s current health, the risk of infection and the presence of a vulnerable person in either household.
The President states the best way for families to deal with these difficult times is to communicate.
When a Child Arrangements Order is in force, the arrangements can be varied if this is agreed by both parents and the guidance suggests it would be helpful if this was recorded in an email or text message. If parents do not agree on a variation to a Child Arrangements Order and complying with the order would be against the advice of Public Health England, then that parent may exercise their Parental Responsibility and vary the arrangement to one they feel is safe.
If contact cannot safely take place, it is expected that other arrangements are considered such as Skype, Facetime, Whatsapp, Zoom and / or telephone calls.
For more information please visit our website at : https://www.jacksonquinn.com
By Telephone :
Emergency out of hours 24 hour helpline : 07765 779334
Newark: 01636 610175
Nottingham office: 0115 9487811
Mansfield: 01623 277101
Retford office: 01777 703111
Worksop office : 01909 480066
By E-mail : admin@jacksonquinn.com
Author: Lucy Camm
Lucy Camm is a Partner and Solicitor based at our Worksop Office.
HAVE YOU BEEN ACCUSED OF INJURING YOUR CHILD?
Non-Accidental Injury
Posted 09 September 2019
Children suffer lots of bumps and bangs along the way through play and in day to day life. If your child is injured and there is no explanation as to how the injury was caused, or there are professionals involved who do not accept the explanation provided, this can sometimes result in you, as a parent, being accused of having caused the injury. This may be referred to as a “non-accidental injury”.
In this situation it is likely that not only the police, but also social services will become involved.
There is a very wide range of injuries which may result in an accusation of this type including:–
- Cuts and bruising.
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Brain injuries, which sometimes lead to a parent being accused of having shaken their baby (“shaken baby syndrome”)
In these circumstances social services may decide to issue an urgent application to ask the Court to consider removing your child or children to be cared for elsewhere whilst investigations take place. If this happens, it is vitally important that you seek independent legal advice from an expert solicitor straight away.
At Jackson Quinn we have a number of expert solicitors who are very experienced in representing parents if it is suggested your child may have suffered a non-accidental injury. Our solicitors can advise and assist you robustly in proceedings before the Family Court. Our expert solicitors have been successful in representing clients in cases of this type so that families have been able to remain living together whilst investigations are undertaken, or, children have been able to be cared for by family members, pending the outcome of the Court proceedings. We have also successfully applied to the Court for expert medical evidence which has resulted in accusations of non-accidental injury against parents being withdrawn during the course of proceedings. In some cases a child may have a genetic or medical condition which has not yet been diagnosed and which has caused or contributed to the injury. In these circumstances, expert medical evidence and testing may be needed to prove this to social services and the Court.
If you are accused of having injured your child, please contact us immediately so that we can help. We can:
- Advise you about the options for your child’s care while matters are investigated.
- Advise you about what evidence is needed and what you can do to challenge an accusation that you might have deliberately harmed your child.
- Liaise with social services on your behalf.
- Represent you at Court if proceedings are issued and advise and guide you throughout the Court process.
For more information please visit our website at : https: www.jacksonquinn.com/care-proceedings-and-social-services/
By Telephone :
Emergency out of hours 24 hour helpline : 07765 779334
Newark: 01636 610175
Nottingham office: 0115 9487811
Mansfield: 01623 277101
Retford office: 01777 703111
Worksop office : 01909 480066
By E-mail : admin@jacksonquinn.com
Author: Anne Buttler
Anne Buttler is a Solicitor based at our Nottingham Office. She is a member of Resolution and accredited by the Law Society Children Panel.
ARE SOCIAL SERVICES INVOLVED WITH YOUR FAMILY? GET IMMEDIATE LEGAL ADVICE
Posted 21 January 2019
Social Services cannot remove your child without a Court Order or your consent. You may be asked by Social Services to consent to your child being removed from your care.
You should 
not give your consent without seeking urgent legal advice.
We have expert family child care Solicitors at Jackson Quinn based in Nottingham and across Nottinghamshire who can help you and your family. We are unlikely to advise you to give consent to your child being removed from your care and we will advise about your options.
Social Services can become involved with a family for a number of reasons. If social services become involved they may convene a Child Protection Conference, a Public law Outline Meeting (PLO) or issue Court proceedings. Expert legal advice from a child care Solicitor will help you understand the process and we can advise you about all aspects of social services involvement with your family.
If there is a meeting with social services we will arrange to meet with you prior to the meeting to discuss your concerns. We can attend Child Protection Conferences and PLO meetings with you and advise you throughout the process.
If court proceedings are issued, they can be complicated and difficult to understand. We can represent you at court and advise you at each stage of the proceedings.
If there have been injuries to a child we can advise you about whether expert evidence is needed and make any necessary applications to court on your behalf.
We have an emergency contact number – 07765779334 where you can get urgent legal advice on social services involvement, court proceedings and child protection matters at any time. The number is a 24 hour number that you can call or text.
We offer FREE ½ hour initial advice appointments.
For more information please visit our website at www.jacksonquinn.com/care-proceedings-and-social-services/
By Telephone :
Emergency out of hours 24 hour helpline : 07765 779334
Newark: 01636 610175
Nottingham office: 0115 9487811
Mansfield: 01623 277101
Retford office: 01777 703111
Worksop office : 01909 480066
By E-mail : admin@jacksonquinn.com
Author: Rebecca Wimble
