Judge says divorce laws are damaging


Judge Sir Paul Coleridge has spoken out of the need for a reform of the UKs divorce laws, accusing previous governments of "ducking" the issue, and allowing cohabiting relationships and pre-nuptial agreements to be legitimised by "stealth".

He said that the family relationships looked at in the last review in the 1950s bear no resemblance to current relationships, and that the current divorce laws are "no longer fit for purpose".In particular, he talked about the impact on children, during his speech to Christian charity, Care. He cited a 31% increase in public law cases resulting in more children being taken into care, and estimates that many as 3million children are caught up in the legal process, with 320,000 being added in each year.

He called the problem "alarming” and added that it was "incredible and concerning" that no attempt at reform had been made since the Royal Commission in 1950, when there was "no such thing as cohabitation outside of marriage". He called for a "fresh look by an independent non-political commission."

If you live in Northern Ireland and require legal advice about a divorce or any other matter of family law, contact Wilson Nesbitt solicitors in Belfast or Bangor by email at family@wilson-nesbitt.com .



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