Spousal Maintenance Handbook

Spousal Maintenance Handbook is an essential resource for family lawyers and family justice professionals covering the Family Court’s power to make or vary orders for spousal maintenance under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973 (and the Civil Partnership Act 2004).

Spousal Maintenance Handbook is structured and written in a user-friendly way, with each chapter setting out the key points and the relevant case-law and legislation. It is suitable both for the experienced practitioner as a quick reference guide and as an accessible introduction for those seeking an overview of this complex area of law.

• This new handbook considers the different types of periodical payment orders including maintenance pending suit, legal services payment orders, periodical payments and child maintenance.
• It carefully considers the underlying principles considered by the court when confronting a maintenance claim such as needs, sharing and compensation.
• There is a useful exploration of approaches to spousal maintenance in different jurisdictions and factors to consider in cross-jurisdictional separation.
• The substantive chapters are supplemented with an overview of judicial thinking and the development of spousal maintenance law. Also considered are socio-economic and gender factors and whether the time has come to embrace reform.

Spousal Maintenance Handbook is suitable for both the experienced practitioner as a quick reference guide, and as an accessible introduction for those seeking an overview of this complex area of law