At Crimmins Howard we know that the breakdown of any relationship can be a devastating experience and can be a time of great upset and distress for everyone involved. We also know that since there is nothing more important than the security and wellbeing of your family, any disruption can be a traumatic experience. Our team of expert family law solicitors sympathise with anyone who finds themselves in this situation and that’s why we offer a solutions-driven and positive approach in a discrete and sensitive manner.

We provide a full suite of family law services. Although this is not an exhaustive list, our team of expert family law solicitors provide advice and support to those dealing with such difficult matters as:

• Divorce/Separation
• Maintenance
• Custody, guardianship and access
• Adoption
• Co-habiting Agreements
• Mediation
• Civil Partnership and Cohabitation agreements
• Domestic violence
• Recognition of foreign divorces and foreign marriage

Separation/Divorce

When a marriage first breaks down, many couples informally separate and live apart. Most however, will go on to regulate matters between them in a formal legal way by obtaining any of the following:

1. Separation Agreement – This a legally binding contract setting out each spouse’s rights and obligations to the other. The terms of the agreement are reached either through mediation or negotiation through solicitors. The contract will deal with a range of important issues from the payment of maintenance, to custody and access arrangements for children. It will then be filed with the courts for further protection. Should both spouses wish to get back together, a Separation Agreement can be terminated.

2. Judicial Separation – If neither party cannot agree to the terms of a Separation Agreement, one or both may apply to the courts for a Judicial Separation. If satisfied that a marital relationship does not exist, the Court may grant a legally-binding separation. The Court may also make decisions in relation to custody of and access to children, the payment of maintenance, the transfer of property, the ending of succession rights, etc. Should both spouses wish to get back together, a Judicial Separation can be revoked if the courts are satisfied that the couple have reconciled.

3. Divorce – Once a number of conditions are met, the courts can grant a Divorce. Unlike a Judicial Separation, a Decree of Divorce not only dissolves a marriage but it allows both spouses to remarry should they so choose. In facilitating a Divorce, the courts may also make decisions in relation to custody and access to children, the payment of maintenance, the transfer of property, etc. Once a Divorce has been granted, it cannot be reversed.

If you are facing the difficult decision to Separate or Divorce, our team of expert Family Law solicitors are here to provide you with practical and easy-to-understand advice on all aspects relating to Separation or Divorce. .

Maintenance

Parents have a legal responsibility to support their children financially up until the age of 18 (or 23 if they are in full time education). There is no age limit for children that have mental or physical disabilities that prevent them from maintaining themselves fully. Maintenance is the word used to describe this support.

Maintenance arrangements are often agreed informally between the parents of a child or children. In cases of disagreement, an application for maintenance can be made to the courts. The Court may then make an Order for Maintenance.

A Maintenance agreement or Order is subject to change if one parent’s financial situation changes. Due to the long periods in which they can be in place, this often occurs. That’s why it’s important to engage experts in the field of family law that are in it for the long haul. That’s where we come in.

Our team of expert family law solicitors are here to advise you on you responsibilities and rights in relation to Maintenance and we are also here to represent your interests in court, should the need ever arise.

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is perhaps one of the most intolerable of crimes and generally involves a pattern of coercive or threatening behaviour, the purpose of which is to assert power and control over their partner in an intimate relationship. It can take a number of forms ranging from physical and sexual abuse to verbal psychological abuse or the threat of abuse. It can also be more subtle by taking the form of financial control and a creation of dependency or the physical control over a person’s movements.

If you are the victim of domestic violence and you are in imminent danger, call the Gardaí on 999 or 112 now. We are here to ensure you are protected going forward.

Our team of expert family law solicitors are here to help you use the legal system so that you are not confronted with such behaviour again. The Court can make a variety of orders to prevent this type of abuse, including but not limited to:

• a protection order aimed at stopping the use of violence or threats;
• a safety order aimed at preventing the perpetrator from being violent or threatening and from watching or besetting your home; and
• a barring order aimed at forcing the perpetrator from leaving and restricting them from re-entering the home.

Get in touch

‍If you need family law advise and support and would like to discuss how we can help you, contact our expert family law team on 061 361088 or by email to info@crimminshoward.ie.