family law specialists Woolley & Co fear that it is an empty token gesture that will not provoke positive change.
Andrew Woolley, partner at the Stratford-Upon-
Mr Woolley said, “Anything which can help in getting people to honour financial agreements made to support their children has to be a good thing.” The firm which has a team of lawyers working from satellite office across the Midlands and the south, providing divorce lawyers, offering advice on the cost of a divorce as well as dealing with other family law issues, often gets to see the other side of the argument. In many cases, its lawyers are exposed to situations where payer and sometimes the payee too think that the amount ordered is impossible to pay.
Mr Woolley added, “We have had a lot of contact from people who find the appeal process very slow and difficult to work through. A main problem with this new commission is that this aspect has not been overhauled. Tough enforcement in those cases might well bring the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC) into disrepute in exactly the same way as the CSA. It could turn out to be a case of new name, same problems.
“I think it’s always been rather odd that people and courts can decide on figures of maintenance for the parent but not for the children. It is hard to do the former without the figure for the latter! Now it seems people can have all done together by agreement and thus by the court. I think most people who can will go down this route.”
One of the main qualms with this new approach seems to be an absence of any form of incentive for people on benefit to make any agreements and this could leave the leave the CSA to deal with these issues.
Mr Woolley added, “I doubt that people will call it CMEC certainly not for some years. CSA is surely going to continue as a name for some time. The only way to start getting away from this is to show that the system really has improved.”
About Woolley & Co. Solicitors
Woolley & Co. Solicitors are family law specialists, who have created a pioneering approach working with their town centre office, making the most of new communications technology and working flexible hours, with clients able to purchase fixed fee service directly from www.family-lawfirm.co.uk. Their web site, www.family-lawfirm.co.uk, provides in depth advice for anyone with family law issues, from finding a lawyer, costings and your rights.
Editor’s Note: Woolley & Co. Solicitors is represented by search engine optimisation agency, Top Position. Please direct all press queries to Tina Clough. Email: tina@topposition.co.uk or call: 0800 094 9001.
