The Times, 11/06/2007: "Unmarried couples get equal rights on divorce"

Cohabiting partners who split up are to get similar rights to divorcing couples under plans to be outlined next month, according to The Times. Unmarried women and men will be able to make claims against their partners to demand lump-sum payments, a share of property, regular maintenance or a share of the partner’s pension when they separate. They will also be able to claim against their partners for loss of earnings if they gave up a career to look after children.

The Guardian, 03/06/2006: "Do 'pre-nups' ease the carve-up? "

The recent Lords divorce ruling has turned wedding bells into alarm bells for some. But would a pre-nuptial agreement have made any difference to the outcome, asks Patrick Collinson.

The Guardian, 29/05/2006: "Divorce ruling could apply to old cases"

Lords decision means women may go back to court to claim more money . Clare Dyer, legal editor.

The Observer, 28/05/2006: "Landmark divorce rulings strengthen women's financial case"

The Law Lords ruled last week on two big money divorce cases in a landmark judgment that will strengthen the position of mothers who sacrificed careers for family - and may give Paul McCartney a few sleepless nights over his impending multi-million pound split. Jon Robins reports

The Observer, 21/05/2006: "The price of parting"

A ruling by the Law Lords this week could crucially influence the size of Paul McCartney's multi-million payout to wife Heather - and affect thousands of other couples. David Smith reports

The Guardian, 27/02/2006: "Divorced father brings test case to publicise shared parenting deal "

The secrecy surrounding the family courts in England and Wales will be challenged tomorrow in a test case brought by a divorced father who wants to publicise a ground-breaking shared parenting agreement with his former wife. Clare Dyer reports.

The Guardian, 9/02/2006: "Timeline: the Child Support Agency crisis"

The Child Support Agency has attracted thousands of complaints and been rocked by serious blunders in its 13-year history. David Batty reports.

The Guardian, 19/11/2005: "So, you've got divorced. Now for the hard bit"

Catherine Williamson on the four golden rules of parenting after family breakdown.

The Guardian, 17/11/2005: "CSA is fundamentally flawed, Blair tells MPs"

Speculation that agency may be split up · Downing Street waiting for chief executive's report. Tania Branigan, political correspondent .

The Guardian, 01/10/2005: "Stepdads - should they do more?"

Should a stepdad hang back so as not to be accused of encroaching on the real dad's territory? But where does that leave mum - struggling to maintain the peace for both of them?

The Guardian, 20/08/2005: "Doing the splits: married couples"

Married couples who choose to split get the easier ride compared with co-habitors. Ironically, a legally-binding relationship comes into its own when couples split and divide up any property. Samantha Downes.

The Guardian, 30/06/2005: "Divorce ruling causes confusion"

The law on how the surplus income of high-earning couples should be split on divorce was left in uncertainty yesterday after the court of appeal refused to let a solicitor earning £450,000 a year appeal against a ruling giving his former wife £110,000 a year. Lawyers said the lack of guidance from the appeal courts left them at a loss in advising well-heeled clients on settlements and forced couples to run up large legal bills. Clare Dyer, legal editor.

The Guardian, 27/06/2005: "Divorce mediation scheme flops"

Plans to introduce a child-friendly way of dealing with battles between separated parents have been derailed after a pilot procedure was completed by just 23 couples in nine months. The figure is far below the 1,000 that ministers expected would use the system. Three family courts in London, Brighton and Sunderland were chosen to try out a one-year project due to end in September, which could have become the norm in England and Wales for resolving child contact disputes after parents split up. Clare Dyer, legal editor.

The Guardian, 15/06/2005: "Tougher rules on child contact orders"

Strengthened powers for courts to enforce child contact orders will stop short of electronically tagging or imposing curfews on parents who deny their former partners agreed access to a child after divorce or separation. However, while some of the toughest sanctions originally floated by ministers in January have been quietly dropped, a bill published yesterday will give courts other new powers to enforce orders, including compelling parents to undertake community service while their former partner sees the child. Lucy Ward, social affairs correspondent.

The Guardian, 09/06/2005: "Doing the splits"

News that Fathers4Justice has broken into two rival groups makes for bitter-sweet reading. After two and a half years, the campaign best known for its high-profile Batman and Santa Claus stunts is splitting - and the divorce is proving to be ugly.

The Guardian, 20/05/2005: "Women 'missing out on pension share'"

Women are failing to take advantage of new rules aimed at making pension sharing fairer when couples divorce, a financial services firm said today. It found that since the rules were introduced in December 2000 there had been more than 650,000 divorces. However, figures from the Department of Constitutional Affairs showed that during the same period just 6,819 cases involved a pension sharing order. Press Association.

The Guardian, 12/04/2005: "Child support agency admits it tricked families into losing cash"

Staff at the Child Support Agency have admitted a catalogue of deliberate administrative blunders that caused hundreds of thousands of families to lose income they were due from absent parents and the government. By John Carvel.

The Guardian, 14/03/2005: "Unmarried couples in line for divorce rights"

Unmarried partners who split up are likely to win new rights to make divorce-style claims for financial support and a share of the other partner's property if Labour is re-elected. By Clare Dyer.

The Guardian, 02/03/2005: "Fathers get raw deal on child access, say MPs"

Separated and divorced fathers get a raw deal from the family justice system in England and Wales, a committee of MPs concludes in a report today. The constitutional affairs committee said there was no "conscious" bias in the courts against "non-resident" parents, mainly fathers, but failings in the system made it difficult for them to keep contact with their children. By Clare Dyer.

The Guardian, 02/03/2005: "China tries to stem soaring divorce rate"

Chinese authorities are sending "think again" letters to couples applying for divorce after the number of people ending their marriages surged by 21% last year. The growing number of legal break-ups, which have increased fivefold since 1979, has raised concerns that the first generation to grow up in one-child families were so spoiled that they are unable to make the sacrifices required of marriage. By Jonathan Watts.

The Observer, 13/02/2005: "Be sure to get your fair share"

Some divorced women who have opted for a 'pension-sharing' arrangement could find the deal they agreed is challenged when they reach retirement age. While most divorcees who have gone for this option should be in the clear, there is concern that some will be vulnerable because their paperwork was badly prepared. By Neasa MacErlean.

The Observer, 23/01/2005: "In-laws get the blame for divorces"

Pressure from other family members is responsible for nearly a fifth of all marriage break-ups, according to a survey of lawyers who advise on divorce cases, by Anushka Asthana.

The Guardian, 19/01/2005: "Law to help fathers in child contact cases"

Divorced or separated mothers who flout child contact orders may be put under curfew, ordered to do community work or forced to attend parenting classes under government measures unveiled yesterday to try to ensure that fewer fathers are cut out of their children's lives after divorce, by Clare Dyer and Lucy Ward.

The Guardian, 20/11/2004: "Absent fathers need not just be seen as walking wallets"

The child support agency's decline mirrors the rise of militant fathers, by Adrienne Burgess.

The Guardian, 18/11/2004: "CSA chief goes amid computer chaos "

Blair admits that child support failures are unacceptable, by Sarah Hall, political correspondent.

The Guardian, 31/07/2004: "Ex-wife's claim for windfall share fails on timing "

A woman paid £1.27m in a "clean break" divorce settlement five years ago left it too long to claim a bigger share of her husband's wealth, the court of appeal ruled yesterday. Christine Burns wanted her share of the "windfall" profit made by her former husband, John, when he sold their matrimonial home for £1.7m - twice its estimated value when she agreed to the settlement.

The Guardian, 23/07/2004: "Divorcing couples may no longer get legal aid "

Injured patients could lose the right to legal aid to sue the NHS, and divorcing spouses on low incomes could be forced to borrow against family assets under government proposals to shave £41m off the £695m civil legal aid bill. By Clare Dyer.

The Guardian, 22/07/2004: "Divorce plan puts children first"

Fathers' call for automatic 50-50 contact time ruled out. By Clare Dyer.

The Guardian, 19/07/2004: "Warring parents to be taught conflict management"

Separated parents embroiled in disputes over their children will be taught conflict management skills in a pilot scheme that could, if successful, be rolled out throughout England and Wales. By Clare Dyer.

The Observer, 11/07/2004: "Equal custody for "weekend dads" "

Labour moves to tackle gender bias in courts as both parties suffer at the ballot box from "militant man". By Gaby Hinsliff.

The Observer, 11/07/2004: "Children have rights, too"

"The Parlour case will do nothing for youngsters in divorce cases - they'll still be treated like chattels ". Mary Riddell.

The Observer, 04/07/2004: "Tesco does divorce"

"Considering the cost of a wedding these days, it's good that a DIY divorce kit is under a tenner". By Phil Hogan.

The Guardian, 01/07/2004: "New panel to reform family justice unveiled "

The government today announced the creation of a new legal panel to oversee reform of the family justice system, which deals with child custody disputes, divorce and domestic violence - the Family Justice Council.

The Guardian, 06/04/2004: "Counselling staves off divorces"

Nearly one in five couples seriously considering divorce stayed together after being given marriage counselling and information about divorce in a government-sponsored pilot project.. By Clare Dyer.

The Guardian, 03/04/2004: "New laws to end child custody wars "

Divorcing parents may be forced into mediation. By Clare Dyer.

The Guardian, 19/03/2004: "Blow to fathers as custody scheme is ditched"

Ministers reject US-style 'fair play' parenting plans as best way to stop bitter child access battles between divorced parents. By Clare Dyer.

The Guardian, 10/03/2004: "Axe falls on lambasted legal watchdog"

The much-criticised Office for the Supervision of Solicitors is to be axed and a new consumer complaints service set up, divorced from the function of policing solicitors' professional conduct. By Clare Dyer.

The Guardian, 17/02/2004: "New access plan for fathers'"

Parents who separate will be expected to agree parenting plans that give generous time with the children for both mother and father, under government proposals to cut the number of bitter and protracted court battles over child contact. By Clare Dyer.

The Guardian, 30/01/2004: "Divorced women 'face poverty at 65'"

"The shocking financial plight of divorced women at retirement age was exposed by the Office for National Statistics yesterday in its annual report on social trends". By John Carvel.

The Guardian, 15/12/2003: "New board to take charge of troubled child welfare service"

The head of the fund which distributes national lottery grants to health and education projects has been appointed chairwoman of the beleaguered Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service.

The Guardian, 05/12/2003: "Falconer orders CAFCASS board to resign"

The constitutional affairs secretary has demanded the resignation of the entire board of the beleaguered Children and Family Court Advisory Support Service (Cafcass). The action by Lord Falconer comes months after a damning select committee report on the child welfare agency.

The Guardian, 18/11/2003: "No more payments to ex-wife"

A dentist whose alcoholic ex-wife lives with a new partner need not go on supporting her for life or until remarriage, the court of appeal ruled yesterday.

The Observer, 26/10/2003: "Battle of the exes"

Fathers who have to fight for every moment with their own children in the aftermath of break-ups claim that family law is becoming even harsher on men, write Anushka Asthana and Jamie Doward .

The Observer, 12/10/2003: "Geldof asked to save family courts from angry fathers"

Bob Geldof, the rock star and campaigner for divorced fathers' rights, is to be consulted by the Government on a shake-up of the family courts to ward off growing anger among men separated from their children.

The Guardian, 09/10/2003: "Divorce lawyers must tell of tax dodges"

A ruling yesterday by England's senior family judge reveals a new hazard of getting divorced - that your solicitor or your soon-to-be-ex's lawyer will shop you to the authorities for not paying all your taxes.

The Guardian, 04/10/2003: "Divorcees hope for 50/50 split"

A test case heard in private at the high court in London this week could open the way for wives who divorce high-earning husbands to win a half-share of their former partner's income after the divorce. An article by Clare Dyer

The Observer, 28/09/2003: "Sleeping with the enemy"

The pressure of high rent means more and more couples are continuing to live together long after they've spilt up. So do you really have to move out to move on, asks Charlotte Williamson.

The Observer, 21/09/2003: "Free and Uneasy"

Divorced women are well-off and happy, claims a new survey. But for men it's anything but a liberating experience, by Viv Groskup.

The Observer, 07/09/2003: "Marriage is made in hell"

American writer Laura Kipnis has provoked a storm in the US with a new book attacking marriage. Here, she explains why monogamy turns nice people into petty dictators and household tyrants .

The Guardian, 06/09/2003: "Splitting headache in the divorce court "

With little hope of legal aid, the cost of a failed marriage is rising sharply. On average, it costs £13,000 to say farewell but, as Phillip Inman reports, you can pay a lot more than that

The Guardian, 29/08/2003: "7-year high for divorce rates"

The number of marriages ending in divorce reached a seven-year high in England and Wales last year, the office for national statistics reported yesterday.

The Observer, 10/08/2003: "Help me find life after maintenance"

Lydia is worried about her finances when her ex stops payments - Money Coach

The Guardian, 9/08/2003: "Til the Courts do us part"

US-style pre-nuptial agreements may begin to influence British divorce cases. Richard Colbey explains why

The Guardian, 19/07/2003: "Courting a bigger share of an absent father's wealth"

Having to buy a £1m house for his ex-girlfriend and daughter was unique. But as Richard Colbey explains, there's a lesson for every unmarried parent

The Guardian , 18/06/2003: "Divorce costs couples £13,000"

The cost of divorce is about £13,000 and more than a third of couples have to sell their homes to finance the process, according to research published today, a report from the Press Association

The Guardian , 14/05/2003: "Not so happily ever after"

Sorting out your pension arrangements after a separation is crucial if you don't want your divorce to come back to haunt you in years to come, says Lisa Bachelor

The Observer , 11/05/2003: "Collateral damage"

Making the best of a rocky relationship may be worse for your kids, says Oliver James.

The Guardian , 08/05/2003: "Marriage and family divorced as 41% of children reared in alternative ways"

Nearly half the children in England and Wales are not being brought up in a traditional family - with their parents married and living together under the same roof - the office for national statistics (ONS) said yesterday - an article by John Carvel

The Guardian , 18/01/2003: "Splitting your differences"

Celebrity divorces grab the headlines with huge sums of money sloshing around. For those of us with just a house and a pension it can still be nightmare, by Gail Moss.

The Observer , 15/12/2002: "Tipping the balance"

It's often the trivial things that cause a marriage to collapse. But, as psychologist Andrew G Marshall discovers, applying a radical business theory can pay dividends

The Guardian , 13/12/2002: "Separated but equal"

Women will now for the first time be entitled to half of their spouses' assets when they divorce - by Dina Rabinovitch

The Observer , 24/11/2002: "Breaking up is hard to do"

When today's pop songs talk about someone walking out, they mean Dad or Mum. Why is divorce the new teen angst? - by William Shaw

The Guardian, 23/11/2002: "Share and don't share alike"

Who gets what when a marriage breaks up causes endless arguments. But the goalposts are still being moved, as Richard Colbey reports

The Guardian , 15/11/2002: "Divorce court history as wife wins half of £20m fortune "

An ex-wife whose millionaire husband described her contribution to their 23-year marriage as "revolving around children and microwave" won half the couple's assets of more than £20m yesterday, in a ruling hailed by divorce lawyers as striking a blow for equality for non-working wives - by Clare Dyer

The Guardian , 15/11/2002: "Synod approves church remarriage for divorcees"

After more than 20 years of debate the Church of England finally gave its blessing to the remarriage of divorced people in church yesterday..

The Observer , 10/11/2002: "This year's love"

Your car has an MOT every year, so why not your partnership? Hugh Wilson reveals why some unmarried couples are opting for 'renewable relationships'...

The Guardian , 7/11/2002: "The cost of reunion"

Joanne had been married for 22 years when she logged on to Friends Reunited and came across her old fiance Tim. Fifteen weeks later, they moved in together - then her husband killed himself. Sally Weale reports

The Guardian , 21/10/2002: "The Law and Cohabiting"

If you are planning on cohabiting rather than marrying your partner there may be pitfalls - the Guardian's legal expert explains.

The Observer , 20/10/2002: "Reasonable behaviour"

Divorce judges are increasingly recognising the wife's input as worth half the couple's total assets, reports Maria Scott.

The Observer , 20/10/2002: "Divide and conquer your break-up fears "

Foresight eases the financial pain, writes Chris Menon.

The Guardian , 06/10/2002: "One step beyond"

The breakdown of the nuclear family is blamed for everything from delinquency and drugs to a dysfunctional society. But sharing siblings and more than one mum and dad can be cause for celebration, says Geraldine Bedell

The Guardian , 01/10/2002: "Poisonous parenting"

An appeal court judge has granted a new hearing to a father who claims his ex-wife turned his son against him. Maureen Freely reports on the controversy in the family courts over 'parental alienation syndrome'.

The Guardian , 21/09/2002: "Divorced father fights for share of child benefit "

A firefighter who shares his son's care equally with his ex-wife won the right yesterday to mount a legal challenge to the rules denying him a share of child benefit - by Clare Dyer, Legal Correspondent

The Observer , 08/09/2002: "The perfect divorce?"

The perfect divorce?: The marriage ended in tears but some couples remain best friends even after the split. A civilised break-up is the new must-have after the breakdown of wedding vows, by Amelia Hill

The Observer , 01/09/2002: "Swinging it as a single"

Jill Insley on how to survive the financial perils of being a lone parent

Daily Mail , 08/08/2002: "Yes, you men are abused by the law"

An article by Vanessa Lloyd Platt on why the courts must balance the needs of both parties.

Observer, 04/08/2002: "Parental guidance"

If your mother or father needs pairing up with a new partner, it's hard not to feel protective. Anna Moore on the children who turn matchmaker

Guardian, 01/08/2002: "Man loses cash share to 'lavish' former wife"

A woman yesterday won her appeal for a greater share of her former husband's wealth after her divorce award had been slashed when she failed to reveal the lavish lifestyle she enjoyed with a new boyfriend - Clare Dyer, legal correspondent

Guardian, 24/07/2002: "Degrees of separation"

Parental break-ups do not always traumatise children, an article by John James.

Guardian, 23/07/2002: "The common-law wife myth"

How many cohabiting couples realise that when things go wrong they have few legal rights? With one in six adults in a relationship choosing not to marry, shouldn't the law be changed to protect them? Clare Dyer reports

Guardian, 20/07/2002: "Don't settle for anything less"

Thousands of wives are missing out on their share of a valuable asset when they divorce, says a recent survey. An article by Andy Farquarson

The Observer , 02/06/2002: "Divorce: the new hope for children"

Experts are calling for changes to the system that sorts out childcare issues, one that harms instead of helping - Maureen Freely looks at recent developments.

The Guardian , 29/05/2002: "The together times"

Ivor Gaber on child contact after separation and looks at research about to be published by University of East Anglia.

The Observer , 05/05/2002: "Own Goals"

An article by Mariella Frostrup - "What's yours is yours, but just because you married him doesn't mean his is yours as well"

The Guardian , 21/04/2002: "Give yourself a break"

Staying together for the sake of the kids can be bad for you and for them. Miranda McMinn should know, she was six when her parents divorced

The Guardian , 27/03/2002: "Children First"

If we're serious about improving shared parenting, we need to follow the example of the US and take a pre-emptive approach, says Maureen Freely

The Guardian , 23/03/2002: "Tightening the net on absent fathers"

Getting absent fathers, and occasionally mothers, to pay towards their children's upbringing has long been fraught with legal difficulties - an article looking at the changes at the CSA by Richard Colbey

The Times , 12/02/2002: "The fallout when parents divorce"

Even adults find it painful when their parents split up - an article by Catherine O'Brien

The Guardian , 09/02/2002: "Mothers who flout contact orders face new penalties"

Divorced and separated mothers who flout child contact orders could be ordered to do community service or sent to parenting classes under sweeping new powers for courts recommended in a report to the lord chancellor.

The Observer , 27/01/2002: "D-I-V-O-R-C-E"

Every parent worries, but an American academic says research shows vast the majority of offspring suffer no long-term damage from a collapsed marriage. Ben Summerskill and Ed Vulliamy report

The Observer , 27/01/2002: "Open hearts, closed wallets?"

Arguments over attitudes to money can break even the strongest relationship, writes Neasa MacErlean, and looks at the book "Stop Fighting About Money: How Money Can Make or Break Your Relationship"

Guardian, 10/01/2002: "Divorce costs millionaire seven years in prison"

A man who went to jail rather than paying his ex-wife a divorce settlement is to be freed after nearly seven years - one of the longest jail terms in a civil contempt case.

Guardian Unlimited , 09/12/2001: "Women hit by pensions 'time bomb'"

Women are suffering much more than men from Britain's pensions 'time bomb'. Their retirement incomes are a mere 56 per cent of that for their male counterparts, a major financial study says.

Guardian Unlimited , 02/12/2001: "No more wedding bells"

Mary Riddell comments on a new survey that says women are now equal to men: "tell that to a woman trapped in a bad marriage".

The Observer , 02/12/2001: "Don't be plundered by the blunderers"

Neasa MacErlean on negligent lawyers and gives tips on how to avoid them.

The Guardian , 23/11/2001: "£4.4m is enough, ex-wife of binliner tycoon told "

The former wife of a binliner tycoon, who wanted half of their £12m fortune, has been told by the law lords she will have to make do with her £4.4m divorce settlement

The Guardian , 04/11/2001: "In sickness and in wealth"

In the light of the latest Court decision on the "concept of fairness", Cristina Odone considers the contribution made by Mrs Lambert to her husband's business.

The Guardian , 21/10/2001: "Its never Father's day"

Most divorced fathers want to see their children and most kids want to see their dads. So why does society make it so difficult for this simplest of things to happen?

The Guardian , 20/10/2001: "Fools rush in"

The heatbreak that comes when a long-term relationship ends sends many straight into the arms of a new love. But what is really needed, says Julia Cole, is time to heal and reflect on what went wrong.

The Guardian , 16/10/2001: "The best possible taste"

Marcel Berlins looks at how the Law Society intends to let solicitors promote themselves.

The Guardian , 26/09/2001: "What children really think about divorce "

Maureen Freely looks at how divorce damages children, and asks when do they do better.

The Guardian , 25/09/2001: "With this deal I thee wed"

As more couples marry with prenuptial contracts, why won't English courts recognise them? Clare Dyer reports

The Observer , 19/08/2001: "I thee wed. Again"

Fiona Gibson asks: remarriage may work for Boris and Barbara. But is it really a sensible option for the rest of us?