Notes

Apply the law on annulment, divorce and dissolution of a marriage and civil partnership in given case studies.

Apply the law on divorce, dissolution and nullity in given case studies, analysing the current law.

Evaluate the impact of the current law on the formation and dissolution of adult relationships.

You are completing work experience at McAddams and Partners Solicitors and have been placed within their family law department.
The firm has recently been instructed by four clients who are seeking advice on their relationships:


Client 3: Lorraine Holloway
Lorraine and Danielle were married 5 years ago. They have always had a difficult relationship due to Danielle’s jealousy and recently things have become increasingly worse.
Danielle does not let Lorraine go out without her and has hacked into her social media accounts to read her messages. Danielle has also recently become very violent towards
Lorraine. Lorraine recently found out that Danielle has been having an affair with another woman. Lorraine feels she can no longer cope and wants to end the relationship. When
Lorraine told Danielle she was thinking of this, Danielle made some nasty comments, saying that Lorraine has no grounds for divorce.

Client 4: Andreas Callas
Andreas has been married to Eugenie for 3 years. They have one child together, Bella. They got married because Eugenia discovered she was pregnant and they both thought it would
be better to get married before the child is born. They both feel that the marriage is no longer in their best interests and would like an amicable separation.

Task 1b:
You have also been asked to produce letters for clients 3 and 4 on the methods of dissolving relationships. For each relationship, you should use the information from the case studies to:
Apply the law on annulment, divorce and dissolution of marriage and civil partnerships for each.
Analyse the current law on annulment, divorce and dissolution.

Letter to Client 3

Letter to Client 4

Task 1c:
McAddams and Partners run an in-house magazine that is used for the professional development of their trainee solicitors. They would like you to produce an article for the
magazine that:
Evaluates the impact of the current law on the formation and dissolution of adult relationships
Refers to relevant case law and includes suggestions for proposals for reform of the law.
D1(a). Evaluate the current law on the formation of adult relationships
Comment on current law on forming marriages
Comment on current law on forming civil partnerships
Comment on current law regarding cohabitation
Comment on any changes in formation that are being discussed

D1(b). Evaluate the current law on the dissolution of adult relationships
Comment on current law on dissolving marriages (nullity/divorce/no fault divorce)
Comment on current law on dissolving civil partnerships
Comment on any changes in dissolution that are being discussed. E.g. Financial remedy orders (currently being discussed)

You should ensure that all tasks are fully referenced and include reliable, current and accurate sources of information to support your work.

Websites

InBrief (2018) What makes a marriage valid?, Available
at: https://www.inbrief.co.uk/marriage-law/what-makes-a-marriage-valid/

Citizens Advice (2018) Getting married, Available at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/living-together-marriage-and-civil-partnership/getting-married/

Citizens Advice (2018) Living together, marriage and civil partnerships, Available
at: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/living-together-marriage-and-civil-partnership/

Gov.uk (2019) Get a divorce, Available at: https://www.gov.uk/divorce

Gov.uk (2019) How to annul a marriage, Available at: https://www.gov.uk/how-to-annul-marriage

Articles

BBC News (2018) 'Celebrity divorce lawyer back reform of ‘archaic’ laws BBC News, 30 July, [online] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-45004289.

Gallagher, S (2020), ‘What is no fault divorce and why does it matter?’, The Independent, 8 th January 2020, [online] https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/no-fault-divorce-what-why-legal-uk-how-a9275701.html

Iley, C (2006) 'Annulment: the new divorce?', Daily Mail , 30 May, [online] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-388268/Annulment-new-divorce.html

Petter, O, (2019) ‘Civil Partnerships: What are they and how are they different from marriage?’, The Independent, 31 st December 2019, [online’] https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/love-sex/civil-partnerships-mixed-same-sex-couples-marriage-benefits-a9229406.html

The Guardian (2013) ' Why a cohabitation agreement is essential for non-married couples', The Guardian, 9th March, [online]
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/mar/09/cohabitation-agreement-essential-non-married-couples.
The Guardian (2018) ' English law applies to Islamic marriage, judge rules in divorce case', Daily Mail , 1 August, [online]
https://www.theguardian.com/law/2018/aug/01/english-law-applies-to-islamic-marriage-judge-rules-in-divorce-case.

The Guardian (2018) Unhappy marriage not grounds for divorce, supreme court rules, Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2018/jul/25/supreme-court-rules-unhappy-marriage-not-grounds-for-divorce-tini-hugh-owens


https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-divorce-laws-will-come-into-force-from-6-april-2022#:~:text=The%20Divorce%2C%20Dissolution%20and%20Separation,to%20end%20their%20marriage%20jointly

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/blame-game-ends-as-no-fault-divorce-comes-into-force#

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/family-and-children/no-fault-divorce

https://www.ibblaw.co.uk/insights/blog/reforming-financial-remedies-on-divorce-and-dissolution

https://lawcom.gov.uk/law-commission-publishes-scoping-report-on-financial-remedies-on-divorce/

https://www.weightmans.com/insights/financial-remedy-orders-on-divorce-and-dissolution-the-law-commission-reform-project/