Family and Children
Our family department team consists of
- Lindsay Bell (Solicitor and Law Society Accredited Family Law Advanced Panel Member and Children Panel Member – adult representation)
- Tamsin West (Solicitor)
- Regan Cannell (Solicitor and Law Society Accredited Children Panel Member – children representation)
- Janet Ford (Solicitor)
Lindsay is based at our Hartlepool office and Tamsin, Regan and Janet at our Peterlee office. We have offices in Durham and Wingate which are covered by our family solicitors.
The breakdown of a relationship is a traumatic experience and can give rise to children problems, divorce, financial difficulties, domestic violence etc as well as being very hard emotionally. It is a time when it is sometimes difficult to make the decision to take legal advice as this often seems like an admission of failure. The members of our team are sympathetic and will soon put you at your ease and a discussion does not commit you. A discussion costs nothing.
Sometimes the problems have nothing to do with breakdown of relationships but involve your children; again very hard to handle.
At TMJ Legal Services we offer a friendly, sympathetic and supportive approach to assist you. Often understanding where you stand helps you decide how to move forward.
We have a Legal Services Commission franchise in Family and can, for those who are financially elegible, undertake work that is publically funded (Legal Aid). An increasing number of clients are not elegible for public funding and have to pay their own legal costs. To assist we offer fixed prices.
We can advise on the following:
- Divorce / breakdown of civil partnerships
- Separation
- Cohabitee disputes
- Disputes about property between people living together and not married
- Children matters both public and private
- Care Proceedings
- Mediation services
- Domestic violence and harassment
- Property and finance
- Pre nuptial and living together agreements
- Adoption
- Maintenance and child support issues
- Appointing a testamentary guardian by Will
- and then if necessary help you with negotiations, mediation or court proceedings.
We recognise that each of our clients is an individual with a unique problem and understand the importance of that problem to each individual.
We appreciate differences should, if at all possible, be resolved amicably and encourage mediation referrals to a local mediation provider. Court proceedings should be a last resort but if this becomes necessary we do everything possible to achieve the best resolution for our client and never lose sight of this.
Details of our family lawyers and how to contact them are on our profiles page
How much will it cost?
The amount cost of your case will depend on the amount of work you ask us to do for you. Sometimes there will be fees to pay, e.g. to the Courts or copy documents.
To help you plan, fixed fees are available for a number of our services.
In all other instances you will be provided with a quote for the work to be completed. This is based on the relevant hourly rate (from £120 plus VAT per hour).
Our free initial 15 minute telephone appointment is designed to provide you with information on the costs involved in your case. Book an appointment by calling 01429 235616.
Fixed Fees
By selecting a fixed fee you are guaranteeing that you will pay no more. Fixed fees are payable in full before your solicitor starts work on your case.
- Divorce (if you are divorcing someone) – £500 plus VAT and court fees
- Divorce (if someone is divorcing you) – £350 plus VAT
- Non UK Divorce (if you are divorcing someone) – £600 plus court fees
- Non UK Divorce (if someone is divorcing you) – £450 plus VAT
- Living together agreement – £500 plus VAT
- Parental responsibility agreement – £150 plus VAT
- Prenuptial/Living Together agreement - £500 plus VAT
- Separation agreement - £500 plus VAT
- Divorce Court Fees – £340 for filing the petition, £45 for decree absolute
For those unsure whether they have a case or how to proceed we also offer a detailed initial assessment of your case, at a fixed fee.
- Personal case assessment – £75 plus VAT






