Legal Jargon

All the duties and responsibility that parents have towards their children. Mothers have automatic parental responsibility. Fathers can acquire it by being married to the mother or by agreement or court order.

Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting – the preliminary mediation meeting, which explains how mediation works.

Taking legal action for civil matters through the courts i.e. a court case.

A party to a court case who is not represented by a lawyer.

Any party in a non-criminal court case, for example the applicant, claimant, respondent and defendant.

The fee payable to the court at the start of the case.

A remedy granted by the Court during proceedings, that remains in effect (normally) until a final hearing. An interim order may be awarded, for example, to preserve property or assets until the claim is resolved, or to protect an individual while their care is being considered.

Form used to apply for reduction of or exemption from paying a court fee.

The property in which the parties last lived together during their marriage.

The order made at the end of a case and which is legally binding on the parties who must comply with its terms. This is equally binding whether the parties have agreed the terms of it or it has been decided by a judge. In financial proceedings, orders could include:

– Pension sharing order – where part of one party’s pension is to be given to the other party.
– Order for sale – where the property specified is to be placed on the market for sale under the terms of the order, such as within 56 days of the date of the order.
– Lump sum order – where one party is ordered to pay the other a lump sum of money by a specified time or following a specific event.
– Maintenance – regular payments of money by one party to the other, also known as Periodical Payments.