Legal
Legal information about fathers' rights during separation and divorce proceedings in the UK. Articles cover custody arrangements, visitation schedules, mediation options, and enforcement procedures.
Benefits System and Shared Parenting
How shared parenting affects child benefit and maintenance payments when parents separate.
Breach of Contact or Residence Order: What to Do
When the other parent breaks a court order about contact or where your child lives, here's what you can actually do about it.
Cafcass Staff: A Broad Cross Section of Society?
Cafcass staff are mostly female and middle-class, raising questions about whether they truly represent all families in the court system.
Can I Leave the CSA and Come to a Private Arrangement?
You can leave the Child Support Agency and set up a private child maintenance arrangement with the other parent instead.
Can My Ex Change My Children's Names?
Your ex can't change your child's name without your permission, but they can ask the court to make the decision if you disagree.
Changing Your Child's Surname
What happens when your ex wants to change your child's surname and what legal rights you have.
Changing Your Will to Favour Your Children After Divorce
Update your will after divorce to make sure your children inherit what you want them to have.
Child Abduction Law: What Separated Parents Need to Know
Child abduction law in the UK for separated parents: when taking a child on holiday or abroad becomes abduction, the consent you need, and your rights.
Child Arrangements Orders Explained
When parents can't agree on child living arrangements, courts use child arrangements orders to decide what's best for the child's welfare and stability.
Contact Orders: The Process
When parents can't agree on seeing their children, a contact order from the court sets out how often and under what terms visits happen.
Divorce and Contempt of Court
Being held in contempt of court during divorce proceedings can result from disobeying orders or disrupting the courtroom.
Divorce and Perjury
Lying under oath in divorce court is perjury, but proving it's difficult when it's one person's word against the other.
Divorce and Perverting the Course of Justice
Forging signatures on divorce papers or tampering with court documents can result in criminal charges and prison time.
Divorce and Separation: The Law in Scotland
Scottish divorce and separation work differently than in England and Wales, here's what you need to know about the legal process.
Do You Know Your Rights as a Father?
Fathers without parental responsibility can still file for legal rights, but automatic responsibility depends on marriage status and when the child was born.
Does Having a Good Lawyer Help?
A good divorce lawyer can make a real difference in your case, even if you can't afford the most expensive representation.
Duty of Care: When Your Solicitor Won't Contact You
Your solicitor has a legal duty to respond to you—here's what to do if they won't.
Ensuring Your Children Are Cared for if You Die
Plan who'll care for your children if something happens to you and protect their future.
Equality in Family Courts: Letter to the PM
Separated fathers call on UK government to address inequality in family courts where dads get limited access to their children.
Ex Taking Child to Live in EU Country: What Are My Rights?
If your ex wants to move your child to an EU country, you may be able to stop it, but your rights depend on whether you have parental responsibility.
How Child Maintenance Is Actually Calculated
Child maintenance is calculated as a percentage of your gross income, with rates varying by how many children you support and what you earn each week.
How Divorce Works for Fathers
What fathers need to know about divorce, custody, child support and working through settlement either out of court or with a judge.
How to Write Your Statement for Court
Write a court statement for family law proceedings by following the Family Proceedings Rules format and layout requirements.
How Visitation Rights Work for Fathers
Fathers can arrange visitation through agreement with the other parent or ask the courts for a Contact Order to maintain regular contact with their children.
Legal Aid Withdrawal: How to Represent Yourself
If you've lost legal aid or can't afford a solicitor, here's what you need to know about representing yourself in family law cases.
Lobby Your MP About Fathers' Rights
Use our free letter builder to effectively contact your MP about fathers' rights and family court concerns.
Mediation as a Solution for Child Custody and Visitation
Mediation can help separated parents resolve custody and visitation disputes faster and cheaper than court battles.
No-Fault Divorce: What It Means for Fathers
No-fault divorce in England and Wales removed blame from the process, changing how fathers navigate custody and separation since April 2022.
Parental Alienation: What the Courts Say
How UK courts handle parental alienation and what happens when one parent systematically turns a child against the other.
Parental Responsibility: Have it? Need it? Get it.
Know what parental responsibility actually covers and whether you have the legal right to make major decisions for your child.
Paternal Grandparents' Rights
Paternal grandparents have no automatic right to see grandchildren after divorce, but the court can grant access if it's in the child's best interests.
Paternity and the Law
Know your rights to paternity leave as an employee, including eligibility rules and how to plan time off work when your child arrives.
Recommended Reading for Separated Dads
Books and resources recommended by separated dads and family experts to help children through divorce and co-parenting challenges.
Response from Ed Balls to Our Letter
Ed Balls' campaign team responds to questions about his position on equal parental rights after separation and divorce.
Separation Rights for Fathers
Unmarried fathers can have equal parental rights if their name is on the birth certificate, but face legal hurdles without one.
Shared Custody of Your Children
How shared custody works and why it gives fathers more time with their children compared to standard contact arrangements.
The Equality Act 2010: What It Can Do for You
The Equality Act 2010 protects you from discrimination at work, in education, transport and associations, with extra safeguards for disabled people and carers.
Unsupervised Contact: Taking Along Family Members
When you have unsupervised contact with your child, you can usually bring other family members along unless the court order specifically says otherwise.
Using a McKenzie Friend in Court
A McKenzie Friend can offer moral support and practical help in court if you're representing yourself, but they can't speak on your behalf.
What Are Barring Orders?
A barring order stops someone from making further court applications if they're being vexatious, but courts often overturn them on appeal.
What Goes Into the Cafcass Family Report?
Cafcass family reports carry significant weight in custody cases, here's what they contain and who decides what goes in them.
What Happens if My Ex Keeps the Children Without My Consent?
Your ex can only be forced to return your children if they don't have parental responsibility, but police involvement depends on your specific legal situation.
When Ex Changes Locks on Jointly Owned Property
If your ex changed the locks on your shared home, here's what you need to know about your legal rights and next steps.
When Your Ex Emigrates with Your Children
What happens legally when an ex-partner wants to take your children abroad and what rights you have.
When Your Ex-Partner Denies You Access
If your ex is blocking contact with your children, here's what you can do about it.
Which Court Form Do I Need?
Find the right court form for your family law case with help matching common scenarios to the correct application.
Your Right to Be Kept Informed About Your Child: A Guide
Non-custodial parents have legal rights to their child's medical and school records, even if they need to contact providers directly.
Your Rights if You Win Custody of Your Children
When fathers win custody, you have specific legal rights to make decisions about your children's upbringing and care.
Your Separated Father's Rights
Separated fathers need to understand what parental responsibility actually means and how to get it if you weren't automatically given it.