As the holiday season draws near, it is important to consider where and how your child(ren) will spend this festive time. Here are some helpful tips we hope will assist, and feel free to contact our office to discuss further.

A Prenuptial Agreement is a formal written agreement signed by a couple prior to the marriage ceremony, confirming what will happen to their respective assets in the event of the breakdown of their marriage.

A Postnuptial Agreement is for a couple who are already married and confirms what will happen to their respective assets in the event of the breakdown of their marriage. It can also serve to confirm the terms of a prenuptial agreement previously established by the couple before marriage.

These agreements are not automatically legally binding.

A Matrimonial Agreement is essentially an out-of-court settlement aimed at severing all financial ties and limiting any potential future claims by spouses. If you are not ready to formally end your marriage/civil partnership through legal proceedings, you may opt to address financial matters by entering into a Matrimonial Agreement with your spouse/civil partner.

Surrogacy is the process in which a woman agrees to carry a child through pregnancy with the understanding that, upon birth, the child and legal parental responsibilities will be transferred to other individuals. These intended parents should then undertake the relevant court application to become the child's legally recognised parents.

At Caldwell & Robinson, our Family Law team are familiar with the legal intricacies of blended families and are available to provide assistance to families who wish to legally formalise stepparent-stepchild relationships.

In January 2020, same-sex marriage became legal in Northern Ireland; same-sex couples now enjoy the same rights, responsibilities, and recognition as opposite-sex couples. This means that same-sex couples can enter into a civil partnership, or form a marriage, in the same way that opposite-sex couples can. Accordingly same-sex couples may divorce or seek to dissolve their civil partnership.

In order to protect any future claim, unmarried couples can enter into what is known as a ‘Cohabitation Agreement’. Such an agreement should be entered into with independent legal advice, signed by both parties, and witnessed by their respective solicitors. Once completed, the agreement becomes legally binding under Irish law.

A cohabitation agreement is a legally binding document between people who live together but are not married or in a civil partnership. It is important for cohabitees to consider having such an agreement in place, because they do not automatically have the rights or protections that married couples/civil partners do.

Under Irish Law, couples who have lived together for a period of 5 years (or 2 years with a child), in an intimate and committed relationship, are considered ‘cohabitants’. If one party is financially dependent on the other, then they are entitled to claim a limited number of reliefs under legislation in Ireland, should the relationship breakdown.

In Northern Ireland, the law fails to recognise any couples living together as being in a legal partnership and treats them as individuals, granting limited legal protection and fewer rights than married couples, or couples who form a civil partnership. It is important that cohabitating couples understand their legal rights and any issues that may arise should the relationship break down.

Divorce laws vary from country to country, and Ireland is no exception. If you're considering divorce in Ireland, it's essential to understand the legal grounds on which you can seek a dissolution of your marriage. Here's a comprehensive guide to the grounds for divorce in Ireland.

People often discuss divorce/dissolution of a civil partnership and separation synonymously; however, divorce/dissolution is the legal process of formally ending a marriage/civil partnership as the relationship has irretrievably broken down.

In Northern Ireland, as in many jurisdictions, divorce and relationship recognition are governed by specific legal frameworks. Recent legislative changes have brought about significant advancements, particularly in the recognition of same-sex marriage. Understanding the grounds for divorce and the legal rights of different types of relationships is essential for individuals navigating the complexities of family law in Northern Ireland.