Fulford Legal Services

Fulford Legal Services Fulford Legal Services is your specialist family law solicitor based in York.

We are committed to getting the best results for you with exceptional client service and straight-forward, pragmatic advice. Fulford Legal Services specialise in family law; advising clients on the broad spectrum of legal issues arising from relationship breakdown including divorce, dissolution of civil partnerships, separation, children arrangements, cohabitation, and domestic violence. Andrew Sm

ith (Partner), has particular interest in the financial aspects of divorce, and also advises on complex issues such as pre-nuptial agreements, and property ownership disputes between non-married couples. We are a member of North and West Yorkshire Resolution, a group of family law solicitors with a focus on facilitating non-contentious family law agreements.

If your religious marriage took place OVERSEAS, different rules apply.Your marriage may be legally recognised in England...
28/08/2026

If your religious marriage took place OVERSEAS, different rules apply.

Your marriage may be legally recognised in England if:
✓ The country where you married treats it as legally valid
✓ You both had capacity to marry under English law
✓ You followed that country's formalities

This means you CAN divorce in England and access full matrimonial financial remedies.

But if you later had an Islamic divorce (Talaq) in England, that divorce won't be legally recognised here.

The interplay between English law and religious law can be complex.

Understanding your specific situation is essential - especially if your relationship is breaking down.

We've written a detailed guide covering UK religious marriages, overseas marriages, and what protection you have.

Link: https://fulfordlegalservices.co.uk/non-legal-religious-marriages-england-divorce-financial-rights/

Planning a religious wedding? Already had one?Here's what many people don't realise about religious marriages in England...
27/08/2026

Planning a religious wedding? Already had one?

Here's what many people don't realise about religious marriages in England:

A Nikah, Hindu ceremony, or other religious observance alone does NOT create a legal marriage.

You need civil registration as well.

Without it:
• You cannot divorce in English courts
• You have no access to matrimonial financial remedies
• Your rights are the same as unmarried cohabitants

The civil ceremony doesn't diminish your religious celebration - it simply ensures you both have legal protection.

Our latest article explains everything you need to know about non-legal religious marriages and what to do if yours isn't registered.

Read more: https://fulfordlegalservices.co.uk/non-legal-religious-marriages-england-divorce-financial-rights/

The woman who spent fifteen years raising three children whilst her husband built a business...Discovers she has fewer r...
26/08/2026

The woman who spent fifteen years raising three children whilst her husband built a business...

Discovers she has fewer rights than an employee made redundant.

Because her Nikah wasn't legally registered.

When religious marriages in England aren't accompanied by civil registration, you're treated as cohabitants - not spouses.

This means:
→ No divorce proceedings
→ No spousal maintenance
→ No automatic property rights
→ No pension sharing
→ No inheritance rights without a will

If you're in a non-registered religious marriage, or planning one, understanding your legal position is essential.

We've written a comprehensive guide: https://fulfordlegalservices.co.uk/non-legal-religious-marriages-england-divorce-financial-rights/

"But we had a proper wedding ceremony. How can we not be married?"This is one of the most difficult conversations I have...
25/08/2026

"But we had a proper wedding ceremony. How can we not be married?"

This is one of the most difficult conversations I have with clients.

If your religious marriage in England wasn't accompanied by civil registration, the Marriage Act 1949 doesn't recognise it.

You cannot divorce. You cannot access matrimonial financial remedies. Your rights to property, maintenance, and pensions are severely limited.

The gap between what you believe you have and what the law recognises can be devastating.

Our latest article explains what happens when unregistered religious marriages break down - and what protection you might have.

Link: https://fulfordlegalservices.co.uk/non-legal-religious-marriages-england-divorce-financial-rights/

Did you know that thousands of couples in England believe they're legally married when they're not?If you had a Nikah, H...
24/08/2026

Did you know that thousands of couples in England believe they're legally married when they're not?

If you had a Nikah, Hindu ceremony, or other religious wedding without civil registration, English law treats you as unmarried cohabitants - not spouses.

This matters enormously if your relationship breaks down.

We've written a detailed guide explaining:
✓ What makes a religious marriage "non-legal"
✓ What financial rights you actually have
✓ The limited remedies available
✓ How to protect yourself

Understanding your legal position now - not during a crisis - can make all the difference.

Read more: https://fulfordlegalservices.co.uk/non-legal-religious-marriages-england-divorce-financial-rights/

Question I hear often: "Should we do alternate weeks throughout the summer?"For younger children - probably not. Week he...
12/08/2026

Question I hear often: "Should we do alternate weeks throughout the summer?"

For younger children - probably not. Week here, week there, belongings in two places, plans constantly disrupted. They never settle into summer rhythm.

What tends to work better: longer, unbroken periods. Two weeks with Mum, then two weeks with Dad. Time to relax, make plans, see grandparents without constant handover anxiety.

Of course, depends on age and circumstances. But week-on, week-off rarely delivers the relaxed summer everyone hopes for.

This week's blog covers what actually works at different ages: https://fulfordlegalservices.co.uk/building-holiday-arrangements-that-last/

"We'll split the six weeks exactly - three weeks each. That's fair."Sounds reasonable. Until one parent's three weeks ca...
11/08/2026

"We'll split the six weeks exactly - three weeks each. That's fair."

Sounds reasonable. Until one parent's three weeks capture the residential camp your daughter's desperate to attend, the cousin visit she looks forward to all year, the excitement of breaking up.

The other parent gets August when everyone's away and activities wind down.

Equal time. Wildly unequal experiences.

What actually works? Building arrangements around the child's summer - not abstract fairness.

More on this: https://fulfordlegalservices.co.uk/building-holiday-arrangements-that-last/

Summer's coming - which means holiday arrangement questions are starting.After 20 years in family law, one thing's clear...
10/08/2026

Summer's coming - which means holiday arrangement questions are starting.

After 20 years in family law, one thing's clear: the arrangements that survive aren't the ones most meticulously drafted. They're the ones built around how children actually experience six weeks off.

This week's blog looks at what breaks down - and what actually works.

https://fulfordlegalservices.co.uk/building-holiday-arrangements-that-last/

Summer holiday disputes between separated parents are preventable. The families who manage this well do a few things con...
10/07/2026

Summer holiday disputes between separated parents are preventable.

The families who manage this well do a few things consistently:

→ Start conversations in March or April, not June → Share preferred dates before booking anything → Focus on the children's six-week experience → Recognise fairness over several summers matters more than winning this one

It's not about being perfect co-parents. It's about being predictable, reasonable ones.

If you're facing a summer dispute right now - or want to plan better for next year - this week's blog covers the practical steps that actually work.

https://fulfordlegalservices.co.uk/when-summer-holiday-plans-become-disputes/

The real cost of summer holiday disputes isn't the legal fees (though they often exceed the holiday cost). It's the chil...
09/07/2026

The real cost of summer holiday disputes isn't the legal fees (though they often exceed the holiday cost).

It's the children watching their friends make summer plans while they're stuck not knowing where they'll be.

It's them learning to edit their excitement about plans with one parent in case it upsets the other.

It's the damage to the co-parenting relationship that makes every future conversation harder.
After 20 years in family law I've seen how summer disputes affect families long after the holidays end.

This week's blog explores how to prevent summer plans becoming summer battles.

https://fulfordlegalservices.co.uk/when-summer-holiday-plans-become-disputes/

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