Family Law

The Financial Remedies Working Group report sets out a number of useful Litigants in Person resources.

The report states at para 40:

‘A number of Guides are already available for LiPs to assist them in navigating the field of financial remedy dispute resolution. We do not intend to ‘re-invent the wheel’ by preparing yet another. We highly recommend the Guide prepared by Advicenow entitled ‘Applying for a financial order without the help of a lawyer’. This is a comprehensive step-by-step guide to financial remedy proceedings, and has useful links to other sites, including court forms, the substantive law, legal aid etc. Readers will find a useful "worked example" setting out simply and pictorially the process of a financial remedy case. The guide to completion of the Form E provides invaluable assistance for the unrepresented litigant; note also the descriptions of the individual hearings, the relevant court documents, and the ‘jargon buster’. For those who are not married, reference can be made to the complementary and comparable guide.’

The financial guide is also for people supporting others in this situation, for example Personal Support Unit volunteers, CAB volunteers, advice workers, housing support workers and court staff as well as relatives and friends. Legal language is explained and there is a jargon buster for quick reference. The guide warns that the information is for general purposes only and should not be relied upon a substitute for legal advice in specific circumstances: it will only be of limited use in ‘high value’ cases. Contents include advice on mediation, when legal aid might be available, court fees and lawyers’ costs. See also, Divorce and Separation: The Expert Guide to a Successful Outcome.

Download the Advicenow guides here:

• Applying for a financial order without the help of a lawyer
• Breaking up survival guide