Your nearest divorce solicitors are still probably reeling from the dubiously dubbed “Divorce Day”; that is the first Monday back after Christmas. When couples who have been forced to spend time with one another other the Christmas break suddenly realise they want a divorce. 

 

But; startling divorce figures are not what’s making the News this week. Your nearest Solicitors and probably Solicitors far and wide for that matter are inundated with Prenuptial enquiries following the headline news that Amazon big chief Jeff Bezos may have one big pay out on his hands. 

According to a recent speech by Andrew Walker QC, the thread that binds the legal process together, the Rule of Law, (The authority and influence of law in society – the main pillar of the Rule of Law being that all members of a society, including the government, police, and any other powers, are considered equally subject to publicly disclosed legal codes and processes), is under threat as a result of cuts being made to legal aid relating to family law and those in need of their nearest solicitors dealing in criminal law. MG Legal’s team of solicitors in Preston, and many other local family law solicitors have noticed that the much of the public are unaware of the cuts, and our solicitors in Lancaster, Lancashire still receive requests for legal aid from clients on a daily basis. 

When you are looking at commencing divorce proceedings, there can be so much conflicting advice forced upon you. Unfortunately, as much as your friends, family, co-workers, etc want to help you, ultimately it may just cause you to be more confused than when you started! So, our Lancaster Solicitors have teamed up to explain what really happens during the divorce process, and what you need to do. 

 

The Office for National Statistics has found a range of trends over the years in relation to time of the year that marriages take place, and on what day. For example, with over 800 weddings usually taking place on a regular Friday, the 11th November 2011 (11/11/11) was a Friday, and it saw the number of weddings almost doubling to 1,529! Another date which is not at all popular is Christmas day. With an average of only 5 couples per year tying the knot on 25th December (an average number taken from 1970 to 2013), it would appear to be one of the quietest days of the year to get married*. 

 

Whether you choose to get married at the start of the year (a quieter time to choose, apparently!) or on a busier occasion such as Valentine's Day, it is always best to make sure that you are prepared legally for your marriage, such as considering a pre-nuptial (or pre-marital) agreement.  

Now-a-days, every moment of our lives is consumed with entering into a contract and usually, by proxy, agreeing to the Terms and Conditions. If you're signing up for a new 'phone contract, or you're simply purchasing a loaf of bread, a contract is being formed. We know - this seems crazy - but, believe it or not, the terms of buying and selling items in shops (and some other places), for example, are covered by the Consumer Rights Act 2015, which covers both the sellers and the buyer alike. 

 

However, for other agreements, a written contract is required which has to be signed by both parties to be legally binding. The most obvious one is when you sell or purchase a house (if you're selling or buying, contact MG Legal's expert team today for first-class advice). Both parties have to sign a contract which, once exchanged (see our blog on 'The Conveyancing Process'), means that both parties are legally bound to see the contract through. And, if one party fails to uphold their end of the contract, there are usually sanctions in place.