Family, Matrimonial, Divorce & Cohabitation

When a relationship breaks down it can be a very difficult time.  There are usually a number of issues which need to be sorted out. To obtain a divorce, an application has to be made to the court to bring your marriage to an end.  As such, it is important that you obtain expert legal advice in relation to divorce and the options available to you.

You will need to consider whether now is the right time to start divorce proceedings, on what basis you are able to start a divorce, and the implications of the different options open to you.  At Bell & Buxton we have a dedicated and experienced Family Law team who can give you the advice you need at this difficult time.  It may be possible to agree a fixed fee so you know how much your divorce will cost.

We know that you may find a cheaper divorce service through an online provider.  Typically these companies will expect you to do a significant amount of work yourself and your divorce will be handled by someone with little, if any, legal training.  At Bell & Buxton, you can be confident that your divorce will be handled from start to finish by a qualified and experienced Family solicitor.

For more information, or to make an appointment, please call Jim Conlon on 0114 220 2181 or email j.conlon@bellbuxton.co.uk

Whether you are divorcing, separating or ending a period of co-habitation (living together), it is likely there will be some financial matters to be resolved.  Such issues as will the house have to be sold and, if so, how the proceeds are to be divided will need to be considered.

If you are married, there may also be pensions, other savings/investments, or a business which need to be dealt with.  Together with this, there may be a liability to pay maintenance, either for any children you have and/or to your spouse.

At Bell & Buxton, we can provide you with advice about the options open to you.  We will take a proactive approach to helping you resolve the outstanding issues, and provide expert assistance to ensure that you obtain a fair settlement.  When a settlement has been reached we can assist you in obtaining a court order, dismissing future claims which could be brought against you.

For more information, or to make an appointment, please call Jim conlon on 0114 220 2181 or email j.conlon@bellbuxton.co.uk

Issues surrounding where your children should live and how much time they should spend with the non-resident parent can be very difficult to resolve.  Quite often, it is possible to make these decisions by agreement, but if an agreement is not possible, it may be that a court will need to make the final decision.

At Bell & Buxton, we can help you to negotiate an agreement to cover where your children live and what contact should take place with the non-resident parent.  If an agreement cannot be reached, our experienced team will guide you through the court process.  The court will always have the welfare of the child as its paramount consideration and it is a general principle that it is better for children to maintain a relationship with both parents.

For more information, or to make an appointment, please call Jim conlon on 0114 220 2181 or email j.conlon@bellbuxton.co.uk

It is a fact that one in every three marriages between 1995 and 2010 ended in divorce.  Whilst a pre-nuptial agreement may seem unromantic when you are planning a wedding, it is something you should give careful consideration to.

It may be that you have children to a previous relationship and you want to ensure that any assets which solely belong to you will go to them.  Alternatively you may have significant assets which you wish to be protected in the unfortunate event that your marriage ends in divorce.

This can be a complicated area of law and one upon which you should seek expert legal advice.  There are certain formalities which need to be fulfilled to make any agreement you reach as legally binding as possible. 

At Bell & Buxton we have prepared many pre-nuptial agreements, some covering assets over £1,000,000 and others for smaller amounts.  Whatever value, we understand that protecting this money is important to you and we will work in your best interests to help you achieve your objectives.

If you are planning on getting married, take a look at our ‘Marriage Guide’ for some helpful legal tips!

For more information, or to make an appointment, please call Jim Conlon on 0114 220 2181 or email j.conlon@bellbuxton.co.uk

At Bell & Buxton we understand that the breakdown of your marriage is a difficult time filled with uncertainties, both personal and financial.  As such we have designed a fixed fee divorce package to alleviate some of these concerns.

In most cases we can offer a fixed fee price of £500 + VAT and court costs.  The court costs currently total £385 and therefore the total cost to you is £985.  In some circumstances the court may waive part of, or the entire fee and therefore the ultimate cost could be lower than this.

We intend to be upfront with you in relation to costs.  If there are financial or children issues to resolve, these are not included in the fixed fee divorce package and we shall give you a separate quote for dealing with these.  Sometimes it may well be cheaper to roll the divorce costs in with the other issues and we can discuss the most cost effective way of conducting your matter at a free initial appointment.

For your free initial appointment, contact Jim Conlon on 0114 2202181 or email j.conlon@bellbuxton.co.uk

Bell & Buxton@Bakewell

Bell & Buxton provide a free legal clinic on alternate Thursday afternoons at the Town Hall in Bakewell, Derbyshire.

The clinics run between 3pm and 6pm on alternate Thursdays and can be attended without appointment.  Solicitor Alex Watkinson will be on hand to offer free legal advice and guidance, predominantly in relation to family law matters but advice can also be given on both personal and commercial legal matters.

Alex Watkinson is an Associate Solicitor with a great deal of experience in all divorce and separation issues.

If you would like to book a free appointment with Alex, email a.watkinson@bellbuxton.co.uk or call 0114 220 2174. Alternatively, just pop in to the Town Hall.