Family Law Cafe

17/10/2026

Divorce can bring uncertainty about what happens to your finances.

Joanna Toch, Family Barrister and Founder of Family Law Cafe, is going LIVE on Instagram to share her insight and answer your questions.

📅 Thursday 22 October
⏰ 1.15pm
📍 on Instagram

You can send us a DM beforehand or ask Joanna during the Live.

💜 Follow for more family law insights and practical guidance.

16/10/2026

𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧 𝗚𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗠𝗢𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗧𝗢 𝗥𝗘𝗟𝗢𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘 𝗔𝗕𝗥𝗢𝗔𝗗 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗛𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗

In M v F1 & Anor (Relocation) [2026] EWFC 284, the court reconsidered a mother’s application for permission to relocate abroad with her child, where she was based overseas for work.

Following a rehearing, permission to relocate was granted.

Relocation cases can be particularly challenging, requiring the court to consider the child’s welfare alongside the practical realities of each parent’s circumstances, including employment, family relationships and the arrangements needed to maintain the child’s relationship with the parent remaining in England.

The decision highlights the importance of assessing each relocation application on its individual facts, with the child’s welfare at the centre of the court’s decision.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁’𝘀 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱’𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀?

Read the full judgment: https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWFC/HCJ/2026/284.html

16/10/2026

AI can give you information about family law. But does it know your family?

AI can be incredibly useful for explaining legal terminology, court processes and family law documents in a way that is easy to understand.

But there is an important difference between knowing the law and understanding your individual circumstances.

AI doesn’t automatically know the history of your relationship, what has already happened, the dynamics between you, your finances or, importantly, your children and their individual needs.

And it only knows what you tell it. A detail that may seem insignificant could completely change the way your situation should be approached.

Family law isn’t simply about finding an answer. It is about understanding the context, applying judgement and working out the right way forward for you and your family.

👉 Swipe through to find out why AI can be a useful tool, but shouldn’t be the whole picture.

💜 Follow for more family law insights, practical guidance and updates.

There is another way.

15/10/2026

𝗝𝗨𝗗𝗚𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗦 𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗗 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗨𝗡𝗟𝗔𝗪𝗙𝗨𝗟 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗠𝗘𝗥𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗦𝗨𝗥𝗥𝗢𝗚𝗔𝗖𝗬

A judge has criticised intended parents for failing to carry out sufficient due diligence when entering into a surrogacy arrangement, issuing a wider warning to others considering the same route.

Surrogacy can involve complex legal and practical issues, particularly where payments and the roles of intermediaries are concerned. In the UK, commercial surrogacy arrangements raise important legal restrictions, and intended parents should understand the applicable law before proceeding.

The case highlights why careful checks and specialist legal advice are essential before entering into an arrangement. What may appear to be a straightforward route to parenthood can have serious legal implications if the arrangement does not comply with the law.

💬 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗲𝘁?

Read the full story in the Law Society Gazette: https://www.lawgazette.co.uk/news/judge-warns-against-unlawful-commercial-surrogacy-deals/5128040.article

14/10/2026

Can I stay in the family home if it isn’t in my name?

If your name isn’t on the deeds or tenancy, you might assume that you have no right to remain in the family home following separation.

But that isn’t necessarily the case.

If you’re married or in a civil partnership, you may have home rights which allow you to continue living in the property, even where it is solely owned or rented by your spouse or civil partner.

If the property is owned by them, it may also be possible to register your home rights with HM Land Registry to help protect your position while matters are being resolved.

For couples who are not married or in a civil partnership, the position can be very different and any rights or claims will depend on the individual circumstances.

Understanding your position before making decisions about leaving the family home can be important.

👉 Swipe through to find out more.

💜 Follow for more family law insights, practical guidance and updates.

There is another way.

14/10/2026

𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧 𝗢𝗙 𝗔𝗣𝗣𝗘𝗔𝗟: 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗙𝗢𝗖𝗨𝗦𝗘𝗗 𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧𝗦 𝗛𝗔𝗩𝗘 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗔𝗪 ⚖️

The Court of Appeal has confirmed that the rollout of the Child Focused Court (CFC) model has, not altered the legal framework, governing disputes about children.

The case involved a mother appealing a decision granting the father supervised direct contact with their children, despite a history of very serious domestic abuse which he had admitted. She argued, among other things, that the judge had dealt with the case too summarily under the new CFC approach.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the appeal against the contact order, finding that the judge had accepted the mother’s complaints and had properly considered the risks and potential emotional harm to the children. However, it allowed the appeal against a restriction preventing both parents from making further applications without permission. The restriction should apply only to the father, as it was wrong to equate the mother’s litigation conduct with his behaviour.

The President of the Family Division emphasised that the child’s welfare remains paramount and that the court’s obligations where domestic abuse is alleged or established remain unchanged.

𝗔 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲, 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱-𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻.

Read the full judgment on our website: https://familylawcafe.co.uk/news/court-of-appeal-confirms-that-child-focused-court-model-has-not-altered-the-legal-framework/

As we explained here in this post, the Child Focused Court (‘CFC’) model is currently being rolled out across all family courts in England and Wales. The CFC model changes the way in which the Family Court deals with disputes between parents over arrangements for their children, by introducing a...

12/10/2026

Watching BBC’s The Split Up?

Episode 3 raises a difficult question: what happens when children do not want to see a parent?

A child refusing contact does not automatically mean that one parent has turned them against the other. There may be several reasons, including fear, parental conflict, divided loyalties, attachment, affinity or alignment with one parent, or alienating behaviour.

The court must look beyond the allegation and understand what has happened, how it has affected the child and what arrangements best protect their welfare.

This is television. Swipe through as we explain the real family law position.

💜 Follow for more family law insights, practical guidance and updates.

There is another way.

09/10/2026

𝗖𝗢𝗨𝗥𝗧 𝗗𝗜𝗦𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗦 𝗖𝗛𝗜𝗟𝗗 𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗢𝗥𝗗𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗦𝗜𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗘𝗘𝗡𝗔𝗚𝗘𝗥’𝗦 𝗪𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗦 ⚖️

The court has discharged a child arrangements order concerning a 15-year-old child, after considering the child’s wishes and feelings.

The decision highlights an important principle in children cases: as children grow older and develop greater maturity and independence, their views can carry increasing weight when the court considers what arrangements are in their best interests.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗷𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗽𝘁 𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲?

Read the full case: https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWFC/OJ/2026/277.html

09/10/2026

What happens at the First Appointment?

The First Appointment is usually the first court hearing in financial remedy proceedings, but it is not normally where the court decides who gets what.

Before the hearing, financial information will usually have been exchanged through Form E, with further documents prepared to help identify the issues and any information that is still needed.

At the First Appointment, the court considers what needs to happen to move the case forward. If information is missing or further evidence is required, the judge can make directions, setting out what needs to be provided and by when.

This could include further financial information, answers to questions, property valuations, pension information or expert evidence where necessary.

The aim is to ensure the case has the information it needs before moving towards the next stages of the financial remedy process.

👉 Swipe through to understand what happens before, during and after the First Appointment.

💜 Follow for more family law insights, practical guidance and updates.

There is another way.

08/10/2026

𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗘 𝗠𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗚𝗬𝗡𝗬: 𝗔 𝗚𝗥𝗢𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗪𝗢𝗠𝗘𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗚𝗜𝗥𝗟𝗦

A new report from Refuge and the End Violence Against Women coalition (EVAW) highlights the scale and impact of online misogyny and abuse targeting women and girls.

The research examines how online violence manifests and the wider consequences it can have, adding to growing concerns about the safety of women and girls in digital spaces.

Online abuse is not necessarily confined to the digital world. The report highlights the importance of understanding how harmful online behaviour can affect women’s safety, wellbeing and experiences beyond the screen.

As more of our lives move online, how should society, technology platforms and the law respond to the growing problem of online misogyny and abuse?

Read the full story: https://refuge.org.uk/news/refuge-x-evaw-report-reveals-shocking-scale-of-online-misogyny-and-abuse/