LAW
No Fault Divorce
Punch Robson MD Elaine McLaine-Wood
(left) with associate solicitor Katy Moody.
Introducing
Katy Moody
K
aty Moody has recently
joined the Punch Robson
team as an associate
solicitor in the firm’s family
department, where she has taken
a senior role.
The 29-year-old, from
Darlington, moved back to the
Tees Valley after working with a
national firm in Leeds.
She specialises in family law,
advising clients on marriage and
relationship matters including
divorce and the financial and
custody issues that arise from it.
Punch Robson’s family
department numbers eight,
including support staff, says Katy,
who are a vital part of the team.
Offering the best legal advice
to clients to help them manage
what can be difficult emotional and
financial situations is what drives
her and she was keen to join the
expanding team at the company.
“There’s the legal side of it, of
course, but there’s also a personal
side to this aspect of practice,”
says Katy.
“Often there are situations
which need someone to take the
emotion out and say ‘This is where
you are, this is what you need to
do to get where you want to be.’
“It is all about how to get
clients to the point where they
can manage alone financially,
emotionally and as support for
their children.”
Punch Robson has offices in
Ingleby Barwick, Coulby Newham
and Middlesbrough, the firm prides
itself on bringing the highest
standards of legal services to
families and businesses across the
Tees region – and beyond.
T
his year will see the biggest shake-up of the UK’s
divorce laws for almost half a century.
The introduction of new legislation is on its way
in the shape of a ‘no fault’ divorce – a legal concept
aimed at stopping the blame culture during a
relationship break up.
Currently, couples initiating divorce proceedings
in England and Wales require one party to make an
accusation about the other – and provide evidence
of it – citing adultery, unreasonable behaviour and
separation or desertion, even if the decision is
mutual.
The new proposals, which have just gone
through the House of Lords and are due before the
Commons shortly, will mean a couple can mutually
cite ‘irretrievable breakdown’ instead.
The idea is to stop further bad feeling between
couples which, says Katy, often affects children. The
change, she believes, is needed.
“Current divorce laws have been in place since
1973, but how people run their relationships now is
completely different,” says Katy.
“There are five facts the court relies on in divorce
– including adultery and unreasonable behaviour. If a
new client walks through the door, they look at those
reasons and don’t want to use them. They also must
provide evidence - and then there’s the issue of how
it affects their children.
“Solicitors have been lobbying for a long time for
a change in the law as it is not working for families.
Under the new proposals, the five facts would be
removed. One person can petition for a divorce,
although the other party must be aware of it, and it
will come with a 20-week cooling off period.
“Change is needed. People just want to get
out of the other side and get on with their lives,
apportioning blame to the other party does not help
them to do that.”
There is a school of thought that the proposals
will alter the whole institution of marriage. Katy
acknowledges that, but says times and society have
moved on.
“We need some sort of direction and this will make
the divorce process so much simpler.”
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