Law and the Family

Increased figures for divorce, single-parent families, adoption and fostering mean that the law has had to intervene to regulate what should happen when relationships break down. But in a time of crisis it can often be difficult to know what your legal rights are and where to seek help. For example: how would you tackle a do-it-yourself divorce? What happens when there are disputes about access to children? If you live together and then separate, what interest do you have in your home? What do you do if it is alleged that your child has been abused? Can the law help you to escape from a violent relationship? These are just some of the problems tackled by Maureen Mullally, a practising barrister and a member of the Family Law Bar Association, in this practical guide to how the law copes with crisis in the family.