At First Law Solicitors, we act decisively when a former spouse fails to comply with a financial order. Whether the issue involves unpaid maintenance, failure to transfer assets, or deliberate non-disclosure, our solicitors take swift, strategic and proportionate enforcement action to secure what you are owed.
Based in Manchester and advising clients across England and Wales, we are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA ID No: 665823). Every enforcement case is led by a senior solicitor with more than twenty years of post-qualification experience in financial remedy enforcement and asset recovery.
Once the court seals a Financial Order or Financial Consent Order, its terms become legally binding. Non-compliance is not merely a breach of agreement but a breach of a court order, carrying enforceable legal consequences.
Our role is to secure immediate and targeted recovery through the most effective legal route available. We identify the appropriate enforcement mechanism, prepare the necessary applications and act quickly to preserve assets before they can be dissipated or concealed.
Where a former spouse fails to pay ordered lump sums or maintenance, we pursue immediate enforcement through the Family Court or by transferring the matter to the High Court for enforcement by writ.
If a party refuses or delays transferring property, company shares or other assets, we can apply for an Enforcement Order under section 24A of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. This allows the court to authorise the transfer of ownership by judicial authority.
In cases involving concealment or dissipation of assets, we use forensic tracing methods compliant with the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 to track funds moved between accounts or obscured within corporate or trust structures.
Where assets are held overseas, we pursue enforcement through the Hague Convention and applicable bilateral enforcement agreements to ensure compliance beyond the UK.
Recent reforms introduced under the Family Procedure (Enforcement) Rules 2025 and related statutory updates have significantly modernised enforcement.
Court orders can now be issued digitally and registered directly with enforcement officers or HM Land Registry through electronic enforcement warrants. In addition, following the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, the Family Court has powers to order targeted access to banking data, enabling the rapid identification of hidden income or assets.
We also use predictive enforcement modelling, applying algorithmic risk assessment tools to determine which enforcement mechanism is most likely to succeed based on the debtor’s known financial profile and asset structure.
Where the respondent is employed, we apply for Attachment of Earnings Orders directing their employer to deduct payments directly from salary.
We also obtain Third Party Debt Orders by identifying and freezing funds held by third parties, such as bank accounts or investment platforms, to secure payment.
If property or investment assets exist, we pursue Charging Orders, which operate in effect as a legal mortgage over the asset. Where payment remains outstanding, this may be followed by an Order for Sale to realise the asset.
In cases of deliberate and persistent non-compliance, we can apply for a Judgment Summons under the Debtors Act 1869. This enables committal proceedings for contempt of court. Although imprisonment is rare, it remains an available sanction where there is wilful refusal to comply.
For substantial sums, we can transfer judgments to High Court Enforcement Officers for accelerated recovery. This can include seizure of goods or property where appropriate.
By 2026, enforcement increasingly involves assets held across multiple jurisdictions. We regularly coordinate with overseas lawyers, financial institutions and enforcement bodies to secure compliance where assets are located abroad.
We act under reciprocal enforcement frameworks, including the Hague 2007 Convention on Maintenance Obligations, transitional EU enforcement mechanisms for pre-2020 orders, and reciprocal enforcement arrangements between the UK and jurisdictions such as the UAE and Singapore.
Our experience in multi-jurisdictional enforcement ensures that financial orders remain effective even where attempts are made to evade compliance through offshore structures.
Although Standish v Standish (2025) is primarily associated with asset classification, it has had a significant impact on enforcement. The decision tightened the evidential threshold for asserting that assets are non-matrimonial when resisting enforcement.
We apply the Standish two-limb test by analysing both original intention and subsequent treatment of the asset. This enables us to rebut defences that seek to shield enforceable assets by characterising them as personal or inherited wealth.
To avoid delays associated with public court enforcement hearings, we use Private Enforcement Arbitration and Private Financial Dispute Resolution where appropriate.
This approach allows binding enforcement outcomes to be secured within weeks rather than months, preserves privacy and confidentiality for high-profile clients, and uses predictive modelling to assess recovery prospects before proceedings begin.
By doing so, enforcement becomes a proactive strategy rather than a reactive exercise.
Our role does not end once enforcement succeeds. We ensure that recovered assets are properly registered, transferred and integrated into your wider financial framework.
This includes registering new property titles or shareholdings, updating pension and trust beneficiary records, and revising wills and tax structures to reflect restored wealth.
We work closely with private wealth managers and advisers to ensure your assets remain protected long after enforcement concludes.
At First Law Solicitors, enforcement is not confrontation but control. We protect your entitlement through decisive and proportionate enforcement action. We apply precision by tracing, quantifying and recovering assets using verified data and expert analysis. We deliver permanence by converting enforcement success into lasting financial stability.
Every enforcement matter is handled with the discretion, speed and authority expected by high-value clients.
If your former spouse has failed to comply with a financial order, it is essential to act quickly. Delay can allow assets to be concealed and may limit enforcement options. Contact First Law Solicitors today for strategic and decisive enforcement advice.
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