By Jones Myers Partner, Nicki Mitchell – a Family Law Mediator and Collaborative Family Lawyer

As a niche family law firm which champions a non-confrontational approach to divorce, we always strive to offer our clients alternative options to a court divorce, which can be lengthy, costly, and stressful.

In these blogs we have previously looked at alternatives such as mediation and collaborative family practice  which always put children’s best interests first.

Clients undergoing divorce are at a crossroads of their lives. While we do everything we can to help them to choose the right path for their circumstances, sometimes going to court is the only viable option.    

In what circumstances do couples choose a court divorce?

This largely depends on the advice they receive. Whilst most lawyers will explain all the Non Court Dispute Resolution (NCDR) options to clients, some, who may perhaps have less or no experience in this area, are more inclined to recommend court applications. 

The court process has its place. A Judge can compel the production of financial information, ultimately by sending someone guilty of non-disclosure to prison. The court can also order third parties, such as accountants and other advisers who hold information relevant to the case, to provide information. In extreme cases –  in particular where there is a lack of engagement in the process – a court can make orders without engaging with one of the couple.

What does a court process entail?

Before an application can be made to the court for a Financial Order, an application must have been made for a divorce or dissolution of a Civil Partnership. The various steps required can be found here https://www.gov.uk/get-a-divorce

Before applying for a Financial Order or a Children Order, the person proposing to make the application must either attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM) to assess if mediation is an option for them or satisfy the court that they qualify for one of the, increasingly few, exemptions from this requirement.  

A financial application will involve the exchange of full financial disclosure followed by a series of up to three main court hearings.  

What are the pros and cons of a court process?

The court’s role is to encourage  couples to make agreed decisions about their finances and children. In default of agreement, the court can impose binding decisions on them.

Court orders, whether made by agreement or imposed by a Judge, are legally binding and enforceable.

There is no guaranteed privacy in a court divorce – journalists can get permission to report in family law courts on cases involving finances and/or children’s wellbeing and future.   

Couples are appointed a judge, who is unknown to them, and who potentially makes vital decisions on key issues about their future. Continuity is not assured, with different judges often involved in the proceedings.  

Court hearings can be costly, stressful and time consuming. They can heighten conflict between the couple and run the risk of a case being adjourned or unfinished due to pressure on court time or a judge becoming unavailable.

The duration of a court divorce can vary significantly from a few months to years if the  issues are  contested.

Knowing where to start on this path can seem overwhelming. Whichever route you take, it is vital to secure the best possible legal advice from highly experienced family law professionals like Jones Myers who are members of family law group Resolution and have a strong track record in their respective fields.  

For queries on divorce and family law, call 0113 246 0055 (Leeds) 01423 276104 (Harrogate), 202550 (York). Visit www.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet @helpwithdivorce

Jones Myers blog is ranked 5th among the UK’s Best 20 family law blogs and websites to follow in 2026

Image courtesy of Antonio Peregrino, Unsplash

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Our new client focused website – which is dedicated to delivering client excellence in family law – is receiving positive feedback for its wealth of insights and support.

The site’s design reflects our ethos of treating every client as unique and adopting a problem-solving approach to secure the best settlement for their individual situation.

Our family law experts deliver bespoke solutions which get to the heart of issues, advising, guiding and supporting clients from initial contact to resolution – and beyond.   

We understand only too well that worries about finances such as dividing property and assets and providing for children are among the top concerns for separating and divorced couples.

Our extensive experience enables us to handle everything from straightforward separations with minimal assets to divorce settlements involving the most complex circumstances and high value assets.

A champion of dealing with relationship breakdown in a non-confrontational way, we always seek to put children’s best interests first through alternatives which avoid a lengthy, stressful and expensive court process.   

These options include mediation, child inclusive mediation and collaborative family law to ensure that family disputes are constructively resolved, wherever possible.   

When going to court (known as litigating) is our client’s only option, we are adept at litigating in all court arenas, both regionally and nationally.

Our internationally renowned Children’s Department delivers every aspect of private and public children law including contact, child protection and abduction – always handling delicate situations with care and understanding.

We invite you to read what our clients say about us via Solicitors Review which re-enforces our commitment to consistently going ‘above and beyond’.  

The independent platform, based on client reviews, awards us a 4.9 ranking, and rates us as ‘Excellent’ in 65 out of 66 client recommendations. Our ratings also exceed our peers nationally with 98% of our clients recommending us and 98% satisfied with the outcome of their individual case.

We’re here to guide and support you through the process to achieve the best possible outcome for your medium and long-term future.      

For advice on any aspect of family law, call us 0113 246 0055 (Leeds),  01423 276104 (Harrogate), or 01904 202550 (York) www.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet @helpwithdivorce

Jones Myers blog is ranked among the UK’s Best 25 family law blogs and websites to follow in 2024

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The conflicting emotions caused by divorce and resolving vital issues around finance and children invariably impact on the wellbeing of those involved.

Sadly, you are not alone in feeling anxious all the time. Released by a hormone called cortisol, stress triggers heightened levels of breathing and increased heart rate. Over prolonged periods it can affect our sleep, immune, cardiovascular, and digestive systems.

Many people in this situation experience mood swings and feelings of isolation, irritability, and depression.

Referred to as ‘Divorce Stress Syndrome,’ this condition often results in sleeping difficulties. Some sufferers also blame themselves or others for their plight, retreat into themselves and rapidly lose interest in outside activities.

Seeking expert legal advice and looking after yourself are top priorities to help you through this   challenging and traumatic experience.

Working closely with our clients through the divorce process, our niche family law specialists at Jones Myers understand the importance of an integrated approach which helps their emotional and physical wellbeing.

This sees us referring them to a wider specialist support group and network of counsellors, life coaches and independent financial advisors. Only referring experts from an internal approved list ensures our clients receive the highest quality advice.

We also understand the value of self-care and recommend some simple steps to look after yourself such as:

1. Half hour walks every day. The wide-ranging benefits include improved circulation, higher energy levels and improved sleep
2. Healthier eating. Stress can trigger urges to eat junk food which, among other downsides, can exacerbate feelings of depression and lead to increased headaches/migraines. A healthy, balanced diet with the right nutrients will help you through the challenges ahead.
3. Surround yourself with a good support group. This may be wider family, friends, or a therapy group.  
4. Treat yourself. This does not need to be expensive, but something which gives you a feelgood factor such as a massage, cinema, or theatre trip.
5. Keep focused on the outcome. No matter howdifficult things are now, there is life and a future after divorce for you and your children.

Working with the right family lawyer who can advise you of the best solutions for your individual situation is key.

Jones Myers has extensive expertise in guiding and advising on options which can avoid litigation (going to court).

However, if court is the only option and our clients seek strong and tenacious expertise, we also support them through this process.

As respected, approachable and multi award-winning family law specialists, we guide and support you through problems relating to your relationship breakdown, the process, finance and children issues. 

For queries on divorce or any aspect of family law, call us at Leeds on 0113 246 0055, Harrogate on 01423 276104, or York on 01904 202550. Visit jm2023.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet us @helpwithdivorce

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The impact of divorce on children can be deep-rooted and long-lasting – which is why more separating parents are looking for ways of communicating about their separation in a way which puts their children’s wellbeing first.

An increasing number of separating couples also want to avoid the emotional trauma, stress and expense of litigation and a drawn out court battle.

In a courtroom, binding decisions of huge importance – such as how your financial assets are divided and how much time you can spend with your children – can be taken out of your hands by a Judge.

Mediation is an alternative way forward which puts you in the driving seat. In mediation you and your ex work constructively towards agreed arrangements aligned with your family’s long-term interests.

During mediation you and your ex discuss, confidentially with a qualified mediator, those issues which are most important to you.   With the right mediator, there is no reason why financially complex issues cannot be agreed using the process.

Advantages of using mediation include financial and time savings as the process takes the time it needs to resolve your particular issues.  This can be anything from one meeting in less complex cases to several meetings over a few months, where the background issues are more complicated.

This measured approach, which keeps communication channels open, can also lessen the emotional impact of the split on your children.

You will still need legal advice in support of the mediation process and the mediator will guide you as to when this is required.  The amount of solicitor involvement is much more limited than in a conventional case however, which makes the legal costs much lower.

 Where necessary, agreements reached in mediation can easily be incorporated into draft orders by your solicitors and approved by a Judge to be made legally binding. 

Jones Myers continues to receive growing recognition for our extensive expertise in Mediation, Collaborative Law and Arbitration – all of which avoid going to court and enable you, your ex and your children to get on with your lives.

Our partner, Nicki Mitchell, the first qualified collaborative family lawyer in York, has also been a qualified family law mediator since 2015.

 Nicki has recently further enhanced her extensive expertise by becoming a qualified child-inclusive mediator. The accreditation enables her to who meets with children of separated parents and hear what they want.

Jones Myers founder, Peter Jones, is a qualified mediator and among the country’s first arbitrators qualified to arbitrate on financial and property disputes along with the breakup of civil partnership or disputes between cohabiting couples whose relationships have ended.

 The benefits of mediation are being highlighted extensively during Family Mediation Week which runs from January 17 to January 21. Organised by the Family Mediation Council, the initiative is supported by the Family Mediators Association, The Law Society, National Family Mediation, Resolution and the College of Mediators.  

To help you decide if mediation is for you, Jones Myers offers a free-of-charge 30 minute consultation via telephone, face to face or video for our new clients.

Call our Leeds office 0113 246 0055, our Harrogate office 01423 276104, or our York office on 01904 202550. Visit jm2023.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet us @helpwithdivorce

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By Jones Myers founder, Peter Jones

Pensions are often one of the most valuable assets of a marriage and play a vital role in deciding financial claims on divorce.

Financial disclosure – a full statement of your current earnings and assets – aims to protect you both. It also looks to ensure that you each receive a fair settlement which may well include a division of the pension benefit fund. 

Pension sharing – which provides a clean break between parties, as the pension assets are split – has been given more prominence in recent years. It recently hit the headlines when a BBC producer lost her court case to reduce her unemployed ex-husband’s 33% share of her £2 million fortune.  

In this particular case, The Court of Appeal reaffirmed that pension sharing is appropriate when deciding on the allocation of capital. 

Judges took into account the length of the marriage and discounted the former wife’s allegation that her ex-husband had made a ‘significantly negative’ contribution to the family fortune during the marriage.

They also upheld an earlier ruling and said the original £733,650 and pension share he was awarded would meet his ‘needs’. 

The criteria in considering a pension share requires the pension fund to be valued and included in the list of the family’s assets.  

The receiving party needs to decide if it’s better for them to receive a percentage share or, in some circumstances, seek a greater share of the liquid capital as a “set off” when not pursuing a share of the pension.

Some divorces may entail several pension arrangements so it is important you think about which arrangements should be shared. Expert advice from an Independent Financial Adviser is necessary to ensure the correct pension(s) are shared and to what extent. Advisors will also assist with the valuation and projected future incomes.

The pension share may be internal (when the recipient becomes a member of the scheme) or eternal when the share must be invested in an existing or new arrangement of the receiving party. Utmost care should be taken to obtain details of the cost of any transfer.

The court will look at the needs of the parties and take into account what other assets are available for distribution.

Agreed financial settlements avoiding Court can also be decided through alternative processes including Mediation where an impartial third party “the mediator” helps you discuss issues confidentially and find workable agreements.

There is also Collaborative Family Law where a “no court” agreement is signed at the beginning of the process so that there is a shared commitment to finding an agreed resolution

Another option is Arbitration where a Family Law Arbitrator in the role of a ‘judge’ decides the outcome of divorce financial settlements. As one of the first UK Family Law Arbitrators qualified to decide the outcome of financial and property disputes, I am arbitrating on an increasing number of cases which often include pension arrangements.  

With Mediation, Collaborative Family Law and Arbitration, once there is agreement (or an Award) details are submitted to the court for an order which enables a pension share to be implemented.  

Sadly, going to Court is necessary in some cases. The extensive expertise of Jones Myers lawyers can advise you both on the option which may suit you best.

For queries on divorce, pension sharing, finances or any aspect of family law, call us at Leeds on 0113 246 0055, Harrogate on 01423 276104, or York on 01904 202550. Visit jm2023.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet us @helpwithdivorce

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Many people mistakenly think that obtaining a divorce settlement – the final legal agreement between a husband and wife outlining the terms of the financial arrangements post-divorce – means going to court.

In the countdown to Family Mediation Week (January 18-22) Jones Myers partner Nicki Mitchell, a skilled mediator, explains how mediation works along with its key benefits.

Why should those contemplating divorce consider mediation?

Mediation can help separating couples find a way forward in a constructive and positive manner which prioritises the well-being of children and helps the long-term interests of those involved in the break-up.  

Will a solicitor automatically suggest mediation? 

Many solicitors – including those who refer their clients to experienced mediators like myself – will explain the option of mediation. There are also lawyers who don’t mention mediation and advise their clients that the best route to obtain a divorce settlement is via the court.  

What’s the difference between litigation and mediation?

Going to court can be confrontational, costly, prolonged and – potentially – public.

If you are unable to agree, a judge who doesn’t know you or your spouse decides how your financial assets will be divided and how much time you will spend with your children. Their decision is legally binding.

Litigation can be emotionally stressful, taking many months and not infrequently over a year. The Covid-19 pandemic has made the process even longer. 

In mediation, a qualified Mediator like me can help you to discuss issues confidentially and find workable agreements more quickly and cost-effectively than the court process.

Both of you sign an ‘Agreement to Mediate’ to enable negotiation to continue on a ‘without prejudice’ basis.  As an impartial third party, mediators do not give legal advice but can give really useful legal information.

What are the benefits of mediation? 

Mediation gives you control over your divorce – you don’t have a judge making critical decisions about your finances and children.

Saving you time and money, it can be completed in several meetings over a few months. One of my recent mediations was successfully tied up in two weeks.    

As a more impartial, considered and confidential approach, mediation can also lessen the emotional impact of separation and divorce on children.

Which divorce scenarios are best suited to mediation?

The majority of situations – including the most financially complex.  

Are there cases where mediation is not appropriate?

Yes, sometimes where there has been domestic abuse the meetings cannot be managed safely.  Even when suitable safety measures are put in place, sometimes there is too great a power imbalance in the relationship for mediation to be successful.   

What is a successful outcome? 

When you reach agreed arrangements which can then be approved on paper by a Judge and made legally binding.  As well as being quicker and cheaper, avoiding a court battle helps to minimise the damaging fallout from a separation for you and your children and to allow you to get on with your lives.

Jones Myers expert mediators can assist you in this non-confrontational option which keeps communication channels open for many divorcing couples.

We offer a free-of-charge 30-minute consultation via telephone or video for new clients. Call our Leeds office 0113 246 0055, our Harrogate office 01423 276104, or our York office on 01904 202550. Visit jm2023.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet us @helpwithdivorce

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Jones Myers team

Our highly experienced team at Jones Myers has opened a new office at Windsor House, Cornwall Road in Harrogate as we mark our 25-year anniversary.

The milestone for our specialist family law firm, which operates out of Leeds and London, is to accommodate an increase in instructions from our clients in North Yorkshire.

The move has been widely featured across print and broadcast media including The Yorkshire Post, The BusinessDesk, BusinessLink, Bdaily, the Harrogate Advertiser and Stray FM.

2017 has been a formative year for our practice, which was founded in Leeds by Peter Jones – one of the country’s leading family lawyers and a former national chairman of Resolution.

We are consistently ranked in a joint Top Tier position by the Legal 500 and Chambers guides for Leeds, West Yorkshire and North Yorkshire.

Chambers 2018 describes us as, “A very strong firm – not just in finance but also in children cases.” It adds, “Expertise in dealing with financial remedy nuptial cases adds depth to their practice.”

The latest edition of the highly respected Legal 500 guide describes Jones Myers as “a family practice that is one of the best in the area” and attracts praise for our “sensible, expert, conciliatory advice that does what it says on the tin.”

Our clients are based regionally, nationally and internationally, and we have earned an enviable reputation working exclusively in divorce, separation, complex financial disputes, children issues and contested wills and estates.

Our team of experts, which include a Deputy District Judge, an experienced mediator, a family law arbitrator and our own in-house barrister, jointly combine 250 years of legal experience.

Our move to Harrogate follows the recent expansion of our highly respected children’s department who are regarded as leading experts in issues of residence, contact, relocation, child protection and international child abduction.

Peter Jones said: “The services we provide at our Harrogate office complement those at our Leeds and London locations. We are proud to be recognised as lawyers who look for solutions to problems and are acknowledged for supporting families and children. We advise and guide where possible on options which can avoid conflict and unnecessary costs.

“A big ‘thank you’ to our valued and talented team in what is a momentous year for the firm.”

For more information about any aspect of divorce or family law, call Jones Myers at our Leeds office on 0113 246 0055, our Harrogate office on 01423 276104, visit jm2023.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet us @helpwithdivorce

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The spotlight has fallen on youngsters who are caught in the explosive crossfire of warring parents following the volatile BBC melodrama, Doctor Foster.

The relentless and destructive behaviour of Tom’s divorced parents left the series on a cliffhanger, with the distraught 15 year old taking off on his own because all semblances of a normal family and school life had been stripped away.

The stark reality is that thousands of children and young people unwittingly find themselves trapped in the middle of constant conflict in the real world – irrespective of whether their parents are living together or apart.

Such damaging behaviour can not only affect youngsters’ mental health, the development of their social and emotional skills and academic achievements – it can also influence their ability to form future relationships

Jones Myers family lawyers put children at the heart of family law, always encouraging parents to work together to resolve their differences rather than engage in bitter conflict.

Couples who are not consumed by battles are more likely to strive towards supporting their offspring’s psychological and emotional needs. Failure to do so risks horrendous outcomes – as reinforced by Dr Foster’s conclusion.

We urge parents to choose collaboration over conflict at all times and follow these steps:

1. Don’t use children as bargaining tools in your relationship with your ex – encourage them to see – and love – both parents.
2. Linked with the above, don’t criticise your ex in front of them and avoid asking them directly or indirectly to take sides – no matter how resentful and bitter you feel about your former partner.
3. Children need to feel loved by both parents as they struggle to come to terms with the breakdown of family life as they know it.
4. Presenting a united front can help children to adjust. This includes agreeing on key areas such as bed times, amount of television or computer games and space and time for homework. For teenagers it extends to seeing friends and social/sports activities.
5. Encourage your children to show a genuine interest in what they do during their time with the other parent.
6. Listen to your sons and daughters; give them space and time to talk about their feelings.
7. If you, your children or your ex aren’t coping, seek external help and support. At Jones Myers,we take a holistic approach to separation and divorce, referring clients to appropriate professionals such as counsellors or therapists who are experienced in helping families and individuals deal with the fallout of a broken relationship.

We wholeheartedly understand that our guidance is given from the sanctuary of our office as opposed to emotionally charged backdrops which parents deal with daily when coping with their children and managing contact arrangements.

However, if both parents can draw on their inner strength to communicate with, and respond to, each other with dignity and care, they will reap the rewards of their children remaining loving and caring towards their mums and dads – and considerably less likely to fall by the wayside of life.

For more information about children’s issues, divorce or any aspect of family law, call Jones Myers at our Leeds office on 0113 246 0055, our Harrogate office on 01423 276104, visit jm2023.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet us @helpwithdivorce

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Milestone expansion: our new office will be based at Windsor House.

Having worked with divorcing and separating couples for many years, as a firm we understand that it is no cliché to describe the process as one of the most stressful in life – up there with bereavement and moving home.

Jones Myers’ new office in Harrogate will enable us to help more clients who are undergoing relationship breakdowns and seeking assistance with issues relating to children, finances and future planning.

Based at Windsor House, our services will complement those we provide at our existing offices in Leeds and Essex where we combine professional legal advice with a sensitive approach.

Dealing exclusively in family law, including divorce, separation, complex financial disputes, children issues and contested wills and estates, we understand that choosing the right representation, particularly in an area as complex and sensitive as family law, is critical.

Our experts, who jointly combine 250 years of legal experience, include one of the country’s leading divorce lawyers, a Deputy District Judge, an experienced mediator, an arbitrator and our own in-house barrister.

Our clients, who hail from all walks of life, are involved in wide-ranging relationships issues. They look to us to for the best possible solution for their individual situations.

We champion a holistic approach comprising suitably trained lawyers, life coaches and financial advisers (as the case requires). This specialist support group understands the grieving process and works as a team to help manage each part of the jig-saw in a vital planning process.

We strive for the right outcome for each and every one of our clients – supporting, guiding and advising them through options such as collaboration, mediation and arbitration, which can avoid going to court. Likewise, when they require strong and tenacious support to pursue litigation, we adeptly navigate them through this process.

Knowing only too well the impact that relationship and family issues can have on people’s lives, our understanding, expertise and reputation underpin everything we do.

For more information about any aspect of family law, call our Harrogate office on 01423 276104, visit jm2023.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet us @helpwithdivorce

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A senior judge’s highly unusual move in explaining to a 14-year-old boy in a letter his decision why the child could not live with his father will have touched the hearts and minds of all parents.

Typically, judges produce a written ruling, In this case, Mr Justice Peter Jackson’s extraordinary action to compose a letter was made after the teenager, to whom he gave the pseudonym ‘Sam’, had given evidence and left for a school outing before the hearing had finished.

The case, in which Sam’s parents had disagreed since he was a baby, culminated in his application to move with his father to Scandinavia reaching the Family Division of the High Court.

In his letter, Mr Justice Peter Jackson explained why he did feel not feel relocation would be in Sam’s best interests. He also said he was confident his decision about Sam’s future was the right one in the long term.

This situation prompts the wider question of whether all judges should simplify court judgements to teenagers via a letter which cuts through the legal jargon and gets to the heart of the matter in language that young people can relate to.

The case also reinforces how vital it is for separating parents to ensure the best interests of their children when arranging their future security and wellbeing.

When couples split up, they continue to be parents and it is important that the process of unravelling their marriage or relationship doesn’t stop them co-operating on what is best for their offspring.

Parents who are not consumed by conflict and battles are more likely to strive towards ensuring that their children’s maintenance, emotional needs and education are properly supported.

A constructive approach through the divorce or separation will lay the best foundations for the children to feel settled with the new family relationships. As collaborative family lawyers, we advise parents to reach a settlement, wherever possible, by avoiding protracted, expensive and stressful court confrontations. This will help the whole family come to terms with their new lives and face the future.

For more information about children’s issues or any aspect of family law, call Jones Myers at our Leeds office on 0113 246 0055, our Harrogate office on 01423 276104, visit jm2023.jonesmyers.co.uk, email info@jonesmyers.co.uk or tweet us @helpwithdivorce

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