Keelys Solicitors - Family Law

08/03/2026

Thank you for the appreciation post. We hope to continue working with you in the future and supporting families. You do an amazing job! 💜👩‍🍼👨‍🍼👶🏻

08/03/2026

Thank you for attending the event with us, and pleased you enjoyed it. We appreciate your professional and compassionate approach towards reaching an amicable resolution for our clients. We look forward to continuing working with you.

03/03/2026

Children’s Passports:-

When parents separate, practical issues involving children often become legally complicated and applying for or using a child’s passport is a common source of disagreement. Understanding how parental responsibility affects passport decisions can help avoid disputes and potential legal consequences.

What Is Parental Responsibility?
Parental responsibility (PR) refers to the legal rights, duties, powers, and responsibilities a parent (or certain others) has in relation to a child and the child’s property. It includes making important decisions about a child’s upbringing, including education, medical treatment, religion, and international travel.

A child’s mother automatically has parental responsibility at birth.

A father will usually have parental responsibility if:
• he is married to the mother at the time of the child’s birth, or
• he is named on the birth certificate (for births registered after 1 December 2003 in England and Wales), or
• he acquires PR through agreement or court order.

Others, such as adoptive parents, guardians, or individuals granted a Child Arrangements Order specifying the child lives with them, may also hold PR.

Who Can Apply for a Child’s Passport?
A person with parental responsibility may apply for a child’s passport. However, the application process requires confirmation that everyone with parental responsibility consents to the passport being issued.

HM Passport Office expects applicants to obtain consent from all individuals with PR before submitting the application.

Providing inaccurate information or failing to disclose someone with PR can result in:
• delays or refusal of the application,
• potential legal consequences.

Do Both Parents Need to Agree?
In most cases, yes. Because obtaining a passport enables international travel, it is considered a significant decision affecting a child. Where more than one person holds PR, decisions of this nature should be made jointly.

If one parent objects, the Passport Office may:
• pause processing the application, or
• refuse to issue the passport until the dispute is resolved.

Taking a Child Abroad: Legal Rules
Having a passport does not automatically mean a parent can take a child abroad.

The legal position depends on existing court orders:
Where There Is No Child Arrangements Order

A parent must obtain the consent of everyone with parental responsibility before taking the child out of the UK, even for a holiday.

Taking a child abroad without consent may amount to child abduction under UK law.

Where a “Lives With” Child Arrangements Order Exists
A parent named in a Child Arrangements Order as the person the child lives with may take the child abroad for up to 28 days without obtaining additional consent, unless the order states otherwise.

Longer trips or relocation abroad always require consent or court permission.

What Happens If Parents Disagree?
If agreement cannot be reached, either parent may apply to the Family Court for:
• a Specific Issue Order by asking the court to decide whether a passport should be issued or travel allowed; or
• a Prohibited Steps Order preventing a passport application or preventing the child from being taken abroad.

The court’s primary consideration will always be the child’s welfare, not the parents’ preferences.

Practical Tips for Parents
• Communicate early about travel plans or passport renewals.
• Provide written consent where possible.
• Share travel details (dates, accommodation, contact information).
• Check whether any court orders affect travel rights.
• Seek legal advice before refusing consent, particularly if concerns relate to relocation risk.

If you wish to obtain more detailed and specific advice, please contact 01543 420000 and ask to speak to a member of our Family Department who will be happy to assist you.

12/11/2025

Good Divorce Week 2025: A Better Way Through Separation (10 – 14 November 2025)

As a law firm with a dedicated Family & Divorce team, we’re pleased to support Good Divorce Week 2025 — running from 10–14 November — and use this as an opportunity to reflect on how separation and divorce can be managed in a way that, while never easy, is less destructive, more respectful and sets the foundations for the future. 

Good Divorce Week is an annual campaign led by Resolution, a UK-wide community of family justice professionals committed to constructive, solution-focused approaches to relationship breakdown. 

This year’s theme centres on the Resolution Code of Practice — the guiding principles that Resolution members pledge to follow when supporting families through separation. 

✅ Early clarity and open communication

One of the first steps is understanding what you and your former partner both want to achieve: financially, in relation to children, for the future. Lawyers can help frame options, set realistic expectations and manage risk.

✅ Prioritising children’s needs

If you have children, the way that separation is handled—how parents communicate, cooperate, avoid conflict—will influence their wellbeing long-term. The Code encourages keeping children at the heart of planning. 

✅ Exploring alternatives to court

Rather than defaulting to adversarial litigation, many couples can make use of:
• Mediation
• Collaborative law
• Negotiation between solicitors
• The “One Couple, One Lawyer” model (in certain circumstances) 

These approaches often mean quicker resolution, lower cost, more control.

✅ Managing costs, time & emotions

A “good divorce” doesn’t guarantee zero conflict, but it helps keep dispute-levels lower and avoids drawn-out court battles that can erode assets, relationships and emotional energy. 

✅ Respectful conduct

How we can help you:-

As a specialist Family & Divorce practice, we align our services with the spirit of Good Divorce Week. Here’s how we support our clients:
• Initial consultation & realistic planning: We take time to understand your objectives, your family dynamics, your financial situation, children’s needs, and help you decide on the right path.

• Clear explanation of options: Going to court is only one path. We will help you explore whether mediation, collaborative law or other non-court options are suitable.

• Focus on future-oriented outcomes: Rather than dwelling on the past, we encourage planning for the next chapter—how two households operate, how children’s arrangements work, how finances are managed post-separation.

• Control of cost & process: By agreeing strategy early, aiming to reduce dispute, avoiding unnecessary hearings, you may achieve a more efficient resolution.

• Continued support for co-parenting and beyond: Where children are involved, the relationship between former partners continues long after the divorce. We can advise on how to structure arrangements to give the children the best chance of stability.

• Adherence to the Code of Practice: Our team are members of Resolution and commit to the professional standards that Good Divorce Week ensuring that your case is handled with professionalism, respect and focus on the family’s overall wellbeing. You don’t have to see divorce as a battlefield. A more constructive approach is possible and often preferable.

• Start early: exploring options, communicating clearly, understanding finances and children’s arrangements can change the trajectory.

• Choose a lawyer who aligns with the Code of Practice values: collaboration, respectful conduct, long-term thinking.

• If you have children, their interests should be central—not an afterthought.

• Bear in mind the realities of court delay, cost and emotional strain—an alternative approach may save money, time and stress.

• While separation won’t be easy, with the right mindset and support you can move forward from your relationship in a way that serves you, your children (if any), and your future.

If you’re currently considering separation or divorce, please do reach out. We would be pleased to talk you through your options in light of this year’s theme – how to achieve a separation that aligns with your values, protects your interests and sets you up for a healthier future.

☎️ 01543 420000
📧 [email protected]
📍28 Dam Street, Lichfield WS13 6AA

24/10/2025

Supporting Those Who Support Us 👮🏻‍♂️👮🏾‍♀️👨🏼‍🚒🚑
10% discount for valid Blue Light Card Holders.

We are proud to support our emergency services, NHS, social care workers and armed forces.

If you hold a valid Blue Light Card in your name - you’ll receive 10% off our legal fees.

Book your consultation today and simply show your Blue Light card at your first appointment to claim your discount.

☎️ 01543 420000
💻www.keelys.co.uk
📍28 Dam Street, Lichfield, WS13 6AA
📍Meeting room available at AED Donate, Stone

*discount applies to legal fees only and not disbursements or Court fees

05/10/2025

05/10/2025

06/07/2025

A Shield Against Repeated and Harmful Applications in children proceedings 👶🏻👧🏾🧑🏻‍🦰:-

In family law, the court’s primary concern is always the welfare of the child. However, in some cases, this welfare can be compromised not just by what happens in a child’s home life, but by the legal process itself. Section 91(14) of the Children Act 1989 exists as a safeguard – a crucial tool the courts can use to protect children (and parents or carers) from repeated and disruptive applications.

Section 91(14) allows a court, when making a Child Arrangements Order or at any other stage in proceedings under the Children Act 1989, to bar a person from making further applications under the Act without prior permission of the court. This is sometimes referred to as a “section 91(14) order” or a “leave to apply” requirement.

In simple terms, it does not remove a person’s right to access the court, but it places a protective filter on future applications.

There are situations where repeated or vexatious applications – often following a history of prolonged litigation – become harmful.

• One party repeatedly reopens litigation with no new evidence or change in circumstances.
• Applications are used to harass, control, or exert pressure on the other parent.
• The child is suffering emotional harm due to ongoing legal conflict.
• There is evidence of coercive control or domestic abuse, and repeated applications are used as an extension of that abuse.
• The applicant is unable or unwilling to accept finality, creating instability for the child.

The emotional and psychological toll of ongoing court proceedings is well documented. Children may not be present in the courtroom, but they often feel the ripple effects of conflict between parents:
• Anxiety and insecurity due to uncertainty about living arrangements.
• Exposure to adult conflict during handovers or through overheard conversations.
• A sense of being caught in the middle, particularly where one parent is highly litigious.

By preventing unmeritorious or repeated applications, a s91(14) order can offer a period of stability, allowing children to focus on their development and wellbeing rather than being embroiled in parental disputes.

There is no fixed duration – it can range from a matter of months to several years, depending on the circumstances.

Legal proceedings themselves can be weaponised and that section 91(14) can play an important role in domestic abuse cases.

While section 91(14) is a powerful judicial tool, it is also a measured one. It aims not to silence a parent but to ensure that any future application is necessary, well-founded, and in the child’s best interests. As such, it plays a vital role in allowing children the opportunity to grow up in a more peaceful and predictable environment.

If you are involved in or affected by ongoing family proceedings and believe that a s91(14) order may be appropriate—or if one has been made against you—it is important to seek experienced legal advice. Every case is unique, and the stakes, particularly where children are involved, are often very high.

Contact our experts in family law if you wish to obtain more information or seek advice.

10/04/2025

No Fault Divorce: 3 Years on:-

A change in the divorce laws in England and Wales came into effect on 6 April 2022, which introduced the no-fault divorce. This reform removed the requirement for separating couples to assign blame for the breakdown of the marriage, eliminating the need to provide evidence of conduct, with the aim to remove as much conflict and hostility from divorce proceedings as possible so that separating couples can focus on the practical arrangements for the care of their children and the financial arrangements to enable them to live separately.

Couples can apply jointly or individually for a divorce, streamlining the process.

In order to commence divorce proceedings in the UK courts, the following criteria have to apply:

•The couple must have been married for a minimum of one year;
•At least one of the parties must be a permanent resident of England and Wales; and
•The marriage must be recognised as legally valid in England and Wales.

Divorce proceedings takes a minimum of twenty-six weeks to be finalised as this includes a mandatory twenty-week ‘period of reflection’ to allow couples to finalise matters involving arrangements concerning children and finances, before obtaining a final order for their divorce.

Keelys Solicitors offer a fixed fee service to manage your divorce process from start to finish whether you are the applicant, joint applicant or respondent.

04/04/2025

Severing a Joint Tenancy: What Separating Couples Need to Know

When a marriage breaks down, one of the most pressing concerns is what happens to the family home. For many couples, the property is owned as joint tenants, a form of co-ownership that carries significant implications during separation or divorce. One key step in protecting your legal and financial interests is to consider the severance of joint tenancy.

What Is a Joint Tenancy?

Joint tenancy is a legal arrangement where two or more people own a property equally and jointly. Key features include:
• Equal ownership: Both parties are treated as owning 100% of the property together—not separate shares.
• Right of survivorship: If one joint tenant dies, their interest automatically passes to the other joint tenant(s), regardless of what is stated in their will.

This arrangement is common among married couples and civil partners, as it simplifies ownership. However, in the context of divorce, it can create unintended consequences.

Why Sever a Joint Tenancy?

When couples separate, continuing as joint tenants may no longer reflect their wishes or financial reality. Severing the joint tenancy is often advisable because:
1. Ends the right of survivorship: After severance, your share in the property no longer passes automatically to your ex-partner if you die. Instead, it forms part of your estate and can be left to someone of your choosing.
2. Protects your financial interest: As a tenant in common, you own a defined share of the property, which can be crucial in financial negotiations or court proceedings.
3. Reflects your changed relationship: Severance marks the shift from a joint marital asset to one that can be divided fairly, based on individual contributions and needs.

How to Sever a Joint Tenancy

Severing a joint tenancy is a straightforward process and can be done unilaterally, meaning you do not need your ex-partner’s consent.

Severance and the Divorce Process

It’s important to understand that severing a joint tenancy does not determine how the property will be divided in the divorce. That is a separate issue handled through:
• Financial negotiations between the parties (often through solicitors or mediation), or
• Court proceedings under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, where the court can decide how to divide property based on fairness, contributions, and needs.

However, severance is a protective legal step that ensures your share of the property is preserved and can be dealt with appropriately during settlement discussions.

When Should You Sever a Joint Tenancy?

You should consider severance:
• As soon as divorce or separation is being seriously contemplated.
• If you wish to change your will or prevent your ex-partner from inheriting your share.
• If you’re beginning financial proceedings and want to clarify your interest in the property.

Severing a joint tenancy is a crucial yet often overlooked step in the divorce process. It offers protection, clarity, and peace of mind during what is often a complex and emotional time. If you’re considering divorce and own property jointly with your spouse, it’s vital to seek legal advice as early as possible.

At Keelys, our experienced family law solicitors can guide you through severance and all other aspects of divorce and financial settlement. Contact us today for clear, practical advice tailored to your situation.

06/03/2025

Clean Break Consent Orders: Financial Agreements in Divorce

A clean break consent order provides a way to formally end financial ties and prevent future claims. This legal document ensures clarity and security, allowing both parties to move forward independently.

It is a legal agreement that severs financial ties between divorcing or separating spouses. It ensures that neither party can make future financial claims against the other.

Benefits of a Clean Break Consent Order:

1. Legal Certainty: Protects both parties from future financial claims.

2. Peace of Mind: Allows both individuals to move on with their lives independently.

3. Flexibility: Can include tailored terms for dividing assets or waiving claims.

4. Cost-Effective: Avoids lengthy court battles over finances.

While the agreement is negotiated outside of court, only a court can approve a clean break consent order. This ensures the arrangement is fair and that both parties have provided honest financial disclosures.

Our Keelys family law specialists can assist in:-

• Tailored Advice: Ensuring the financial agreement meets your needs.

• Drafting the Consent Order: Preparing a clear and accurate document that reflects your agreed terms.

• Assisting With the D81 Form: Helping you complete the form accurately to avoid delays or complications.

• Court Submission: Managing the submission process and addressing any queries from the court.

Contact us today at https://www.keelys.co.uk/ for more information on our fixed fee packages