Posted by Patrick Hart, Partner
On 1 September 2016 Withy King LLP merged with Royds LLP. The trading name for the merged firm is Royds Withy King. All content produced prior to this date will remain in the name of the firms pre-merger.
Report reignites debate about family law reform
A new report which makes the case for a “wholesale review” of Scotland’s family law system has fuelled demands for a similar process to be set in motion in England and Wales.
The document published by the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee has highlighted concerns about the current legal framework, having considered evidence supplied by academics and those in the legal profession.
The report concludes that legislation passed a decade ago is already out of date when it comes to matters such as cohabitation and parental responsibility.
Christine Grahame MSP said: “We have heard of confusion from the general public about the state of the law on adult relationships – cohabitation, marriage and civil partnerships, which have changed significantly in recent years.
“It has been argued that changes have been piecemeal to the extent that the law now lacks coherency and purpose.”
The comments have caught the attention of those south of the border, not least because many of the issues that have been raised by the committee’s report have already been the subject of intense debate.
Supporters of reform argue that large parts of the legislation which shapes family courts in England and Wales were set down decades ago.
The Law Society has been among those who have argued in favour of change, particularly in relation to the law relating to cohabitees – the fastest growing type of family in the UK.
To find out more about the family services we provide, please contact Patrick Hart from our family law team today.