Sugaré & Co has been established for over 40 years. We are based in Leeds City Centre (opens new window) and represent clients nationally. Our solicitors have a vast wealth of experience and we provide our clients with cost-effective and quality legal advice.
Client Comment
Sugare & Co really helped me through a troubling time. They have always been very professional and sensitive.
Our criminal law department is led by Anthony Sugaré who is a past president of the Leeds Law Society and one of the most respected criminal solicitors within the Leeds area. Sugaré & Co have been successfully defending alleged criminals for over 40 years for all types of crimes. We provide a 24 HOUR emergency service for those who have been arrested and are in detention at a police station. We will provide prompt help, advice and attendance. This is completely FREE OF CHARGE.
Our nationally known criminal defence department is headed up by the past president of the Leeds Law Society, Anthony Sugare, and we are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
If you are involved with a criminal law case, you need to think carefully about hiring an experienced criminal law solicitor in Leeds. We have been defending alleged criminals for over 45 years and we ensure that no stone is left unturned in building a solid defence. We believe that we are the best criminal defence solicitors in Leeds.
We deal with criminal cases at all levels including at the:-
We hold a Criminal Contract with the Legal Aid Agency. We will always advise you as to your eligibility for public funding.
Whatever the criminal matter, our expert team is available to provide free initial advice.
Sugare & Co Solicitors in Leeds have a vast wealth of experience in negotiating the best possible arrangements for children, whether this be in relation to residence and contact disputes, also known as custody disputes, taking a child abroad, moving the children to live elsewhere, financial provision or any other consideration for children.
Find out more about how our children law solicitors can help you by speaking to our expert solicitors today. Get in touch by either calling us on 0113 244 6978 or completing our online enquiry form so that we can call you back and arrange your free consultation.
The Court will only need to be involved in deciding arrangements for children if there is a dispute that cannot be resolved via negotiation. There are different types of orders that the Court can make, depending on the circumstances. These include:
This is an order that determines who a child lives with, at what times, and who the child spends time with. They are the most common type of order that the Court makes. This term used to be known as residence and contact orders.
These orders are made to resolve specific disputes between parents who share parental responsibility. Examples of these orders include whether a child should have an emergency operation, which school a child should attend or taking a child to live abroad.
This kind of order prevents an individual from taking actions that they would otherwise reasonably be able to take. Examples of these orders prevent someone from removing a child from a parents care or preventing them taking the child out of the jurisdiction.
To try to sort out custody disputes, one of our specialist family law solicitors would initially see you at our office for a free initial consultation. We will then often write a detailed letter to the other parent or their legal representative putting forward your proposals and seek to persuade them that these proposals should be accepted.
We will also refer the case to mediation (a pre requisite to going to Court in most circumstances) to see whether you can agree matters yourselves. This route will hopefully keep costs low. An agreement can then be drafted if an agreement is reached.
If an agreement can’t be reached, we will swiftly instigate court proceedings on your behalf. It usually takes about 6 weeks for a Court hearing to take place unless there is an emergency situation.
At Court, our skilful solicitors will make representations on your behalf. Our family law solicitors have been doing these types of cases for a long time and know the best points to put forward and what not to say. Most cases can conclude at the first hearing with the assistance of CAFCASS.
For further information as to the Court process and how the judge decides the case, please click here.
View our page dedicated to Children Law FAQs
There may be unfortunate circumstances when social services become involved with your child(ren). We understand that these can be an extremely stressful situations and it is important that you obtain quality advice straight away.
Please visit our Care Proceedings page for further information about this complex area.
The solicitors within Sugare & Co's dedicated family law department advise our clients of the options available and guides you through the complex and emotive area of Children Law. We are committed to giving our clients high quality advice and representation and we will always fight your corner. We handle cases sensitively and in the strictest of confidence.
Our priority is ensuring that a fair agreement is reached, both quickly and efficiently. Whatever your family law questions, we are sure we can help you find the answers.
Having dealt with thousands of divorces, the experienced divorce solicitors at Sugare & Co have the knowledge and sensitivity to guide you through this complex area of law in a friendly and digestible way. We can offer advice on how to conclude a marriage, civil partnership dissolution, prenuptial agreements or sorting out arrangements for children of your family. We represent clients within the UK and abroad and we have close ties to a number of experts in their chosen fields, such as counsellors, financial advisors, pension experts and property valuers, to ensure that no stone is left unturned and you have the support that you need. Our priority is you.
If you require advice or need to talk to us about any aspect of divorce, do not hesitate to get in touch with our specialist divorce solicitors in Leeds. Simply call us on 0113 244 6978 or request a free consultation using our online enquiry form.
The quickest timescale for obtaining a divorce is ususually around 6 months in cases where parties are able to come to an agreement quickly. However, the Court is currently facing a backlog with applications which means that cases can take longer.
To get a divorce you must have been married for at least 1 year and must fulfil certain criteria.
There is only one ground for divorce and that is that the marriage or civil partnership has irretrievably broken down. The person who starts the divorce proceedings is known as 'the petitioner' and their spouse is called 'the respondent'.
To prove that the marriage or civil partnership has irretrievably broken down, a party must rely on one of five facts (or four in the case of civil partnership). The facts are adultery (marriage only), unreasonable behaviour, desertion, separation for a period of two years (and both parties consent to the divorce) or separation for five years (the other parties consent isn’t needed).
In short, possibly. This will usually depend on what fact you rely on in the divorce petition. For example, if you wish to rely on adultery, you must not have lived with each other for a period not exceeding six months after you found out about the latest act of adultery. There are also other stipulations if you rely on the other facts relied upon in the divorce. Should you currently live with your partner, the divorce petition will need to carefully drafted.
A financial consent order, sometimes called a clean break consent order, details the financial agreement reached by a divorcing couple or a couple that has decided to dissolve their civil partnership. The issues that are commonly detailed within a consent order are the family home, pensions, savings, businesses and maintenance.
A financial consent order may be reached by agreement between the couple or through solicitors. If this is not possible, an application can be made to the Court so that the Judge can decide what the settlement will be.
It is essential that legal advice is sought prior to agreeing such an order. Failure to get it right may lead to significant expense to try and correct any mistakes made.
Find out more about financial consent orders and financial settlements by clicking here
In short, usually not. However, this is only the case if all parts of the divorce are agreed. Should an aspect of the divorce be challenged by one of the parties, a Court hearing will usually have to take place so that the Judge can determine that issue. It is clearly more cost effective to avoid Court hearings.
If both parties agree the plans for the children then the Court will not seek to change this agreement.
If you cannot agree, then we would advise that you speak to a member of our team who can assist you in agreeing an arrangement that is in the best interests of your children. If an agreement can’t be reached regarding the children, then we can provide specialist advise on making a formal application to the Court.
For more details about Children Law, click here
If the paperwork has been processed correctly, you should receive notification of the date by which you need to have returned the acknowledgment of service to the court. This is a deceptively straightforward form, which can be highly important in cases. It is important that this form is carefully considered to ensure everything is as it should be. We would strongly recommend that you speak to our experience solicitors to make sure you have completed the form correctly.
This will depend whether you start the divorce or are responding to divorce papers. At Sugare & Co Solicitors we charge as little as £600 plus VAT and the court fee (£550) if you start the divorce and £500 plus VAT if you are responding to a divorce. These figures assume that you both agree to divorce. Fixed fees are also offered should you require a financial consent order.
Take advantage of our free initial consultation by calling 0113 244 6978 or by using the online enquiry form.
The breakdown of marriage is listed as one of the most stressful things that we can experience in life. Divorce can not only be difficult emotionally, it can also become complex at times. Sugare & Co are here to explain the different aspects of the process to ensure that sure you understand it, whilst also ensuring that the procedural aspects of the divorce are taken care of.
The divorce solicitors at Sugare & Co provide divorce advice in a friendly and digestible way throughout the process. We have close ties to a number of experts in their chosen fields, such as counsellors, financial advisors, pension experts and property valuers, to ensure that no stone is left unturned and you have the support that you need. Our priority is you.
Sugare & Co have a vast wealth of experience preparing wills and acting as executors for our clients.
Preparing a will can be complex and it is important not to take any shortcuts when it comes to a will. We can prepare your will from as little as £150 plus VAT.
This is a legal document which details what you should happen if you are not of sound mind to make decisions. You will set out in this document who you wish to appoint (attorneys) to look after your finances, your property and your health.
We offer an excellent service in preparing Lasting Powers of Attorney (both finance and welfare). We will discuss with you your options and provide advice as to how to effect your wishes. We will ensure that all of the procedural requirements are fulfilled.
We offer a comprehensive "No Win, No Fee, No Catches" compensation claims service dealing with all aspects of your case. Wherever your accident occurred at work, on the road, or in a public space, if you have suffered as a result of someone else doing something wrong, then we can assist you to get the compensation you are entitled to.
Our Criminal Injury Compensation Solicitors can also assist you pursue a claim against the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) if you are the victim of a criminal offence and have suffered an injury.
A victim’s eligibility for to receive compensation is decided by a set criteria. You may be entitled to compensation if:
If you satisfy the criteria then there is a set tariff of awards that are available dependent on the type of injuries you have suffered. Some examples of compensation are as follows:
We can discuss the claim with you either via telephone, email or you can come to our office for a free consultation. We have this appointment to take the relevant details from you and to prepare the necessary documentation for submission. We will also be able to discuss our fixed percentage fees and anticipated compensation award.
