Three questions bring most people to a family law solicitor in Manchester: where will the children live, what happens to the house and the money, and what can be done about a partner who is abusive. Each has its own process, and a good family solicitor will explain which applies to you at the first meeting.
Children first. Separated parents in Greater Manchester are expected to try mediation before applying to court, after a mediation information and assessment meeting, unless there is a safety reason not to. Where an application is needed, the family court at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre, or the courts at Stockport, Bolton, Wigan and Oldham, decides who the children live with and how they spend time with each parent, with Cafcass reporting on their welfare. Grandparents, step-parents and relatives can also apply, and relocation disputes, where one parent wants to move abroad or to the other end of the country, are common in a city with so many international families.
Money and the home are dealt with alongside divorce or, for unmarried couples, under property and trust law, which protects far less than most people expect; a declaration of trust or cohabitation agreement drawn up while the relationship is good avoids bitter arguments later.
Where there is domestic abuse, solicitors can apply for non-molestation and occupation orders quickly, often within days, and legal aid is still available for these cases and for parents facing care proceedings brought by the local authority.
Manchester family solicitors generally offer a free or low-cost first appointment, fixed fees for mediation support and straightforward applications, and hourly rates for contested hearings.
The solicitors below offer family law services within 20 miles of Manchester city centre, verified firms first. Read our guide to family law and family law solicitors, or see divorce solicitors in Manchester for the divorce itself.
