A grandmother in Erdington who has not seen her grandchildren since her son's separation, a mother in Handsworth who needs her ex-partner kept away from the house tonight, a couple in Moseley who bought together, never married and are now splitting the deposit: the family law solicitors of Birmingham deal with all three in a typical week, and each case follows a different route.
Children come first. Separated parents are expected to attend a mediation information and assessment meeting before applying to court, unless domestic abuse or another exemption applies, and solicitors will often get a workable arrangement agreed without a judge. When an application is needed, it goes to the family court at the Birmingham Civil and Family Justice Centre on Bull Street, with Cafcass advising on the children's welfare. Grandparents and step-parents can apply too, and in a city with so many families spread across continents, disputes about taking a child abroad are frequent.
Protection is urgent by nature. Non-molestation and occupation orders can be obtained quickly, sometimes the same day, and legal aid remains available for victims of domestic abuse and for parents facing care proceedings brought by Birmingham Children's Trust, which runs children's social care for the city.
Money for unmarried couples depends on property and trust law rather than family law, which is why a cohabitation agreement or declaration of trust, signed when things are good, saves so much later. Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, forced marriage protection orders and the recognition of marriages conducted abroad are all regular Birmingham work.
Fees vary with the route: fixed fees for agreed arrangements and straightforward applications, hourly rates for contested hearings, and a free first discussion at many firms.
Below are family law firms serving Birmingham, verified practices first. Read what family law covers, our guide to family law solicitors, and the divorce solicitors in Birmingham page for the divorce itself.
