Blended Family Dispute Concerning a Child

A blended family dispute concerning a child can encompass a range of legal issues, including:

• Legal status and identity of a step-parent for a child.
• Acquisition and exercise of parental responsibility by a step-parent for a child.
• Dispute about a child’s name and identity.
• Issues about an ex-partner’s time, care and upbringing of your child.

A blended family dispute can also involve a wide range of further matters including: parental anxiety by a step-parent (particularly if they are an inexperienced parent or are undertaking significant day-to-day parenting responsibilities), hostility from an ex-partner towards a new partner, reluctance from children to adjust or bond with a new partner and their children from a previous relationship.

We have leading expertise in blended family law disputes. Our founder, Louisa Ghevaert, litigated the milestone case of AB v CD, EF, GH & IL [2018] EWHC 1590 (Fam), representing an intended mother in international contested assisted reproduction and blended family law proceedings in the High Court concerning 2 surrogate born children. This case marks a legal first in the treatment of blended families in the UK following assisted reproduction, divorce, re-marriage, serious allegations of domestic violence and abuse as well as the legal status and identity of two surrogate born children, their biological, intended and social parents and arrangements for the children’s care and upbringing.

Louisa Ghevaert has dealt with numerous complex assisted reproduction and blended family disputes including, find out more here.

Click here to read more about our media and commentary work in relation to family and fertility law, policy and practice.

Apple podcast on Speak From The Body with Avni Touch entitled “Fertility law for modern families with Louisa Ghevaert” (26 February 2020).