England and Wales Case Law

DR v ES and Ors (Further LSPO Application)

A further LSPO is granted in favour of the wife, encompassing a portion of historic costs and future costs, as the wife would not reasonably be able to obtain appropriate legal services without such funding, and the husband can afford to pay. The LSPO is structured to ensure equality of arms, with payments in instalments and restrictions on the husband's use of funds raised.

Source excerpt

• Legal services payment order (lspo)
• Financial remedies
• Costs funding
• Equality of arms
• Historic legal costs

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DR v ES and Ors (Further LSPO Application)

DR v ES and Ors (Further LSPO Application) [2026] EWFC 15 (30 January 2026)

The Family Court granted a further LSPO to fund the wife’s ongoing financial remedy case, including part of her historic costs and future costs to final hearing.

• Legal services payment order
• Financial remedies
• Costs funding
• Matrimonial causes act 1973
• Equality of arms
• Family-law

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SM v BA

The applicant is entitled to a legal services payment order for historic and future costs relating to ongoing financial remedy and FLA 1996 proceedings, as without such payment she would not reasonably be able to obtain appropriate legal services. No deduction for standard basis of assessment is appropriate for historic costs; a reasonable figure for future costs is assessed in the round. Costs for concluded FLA 1996 proceedings and the MPS application are not recoverable at this stage. The respondent's ability to pay is established by available liquid assets.

Source excerpt

• Legal services payment order
• Maintenance pending suit
• Occupation order
• Costs funding
• Financial remedy
• Domestic abuse

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SM v BA (Legal Services Payment Order)

SM v BA (Legal Services Payment Order) [2025] EWFC 7 (16 January 2025)

The Family Court granted SM an LSPO in part, ordering BA to fund historic and future financial remedy costs and some FLA 1996 costs, but refusing MPS-related funding.

• Legal services payment order
• Maintenance pending suit
• Occupation order
• Costs funding
• Financial remedies
• Legal-services-payment-order

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HA v EN

Interim financial remedy decision granting maintenance pending suit, legal services funding, and charges over the former matrimonial home, with costs reserved.

• Maintenance pending suit
• Legal services payment order
• Disclosure
• Interim orders
• Charging orders
• Costs funding

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MT v VA (Second Application: Legal Services Provision order)

MT v VA (Second Application: Legal Services Provision order) [2020] EWHC 3087 (Fam) (22 October 2020)

The High Court granted a further legal services payment order in part, directing the wife to pay £95,000 toward the husband’s costs and further legal advice.

• Legal services payment order
• Matrimonial causes act 1973 s.22za
• Financial remedy proceedings
• Prenuptial agreements
• Disclosure
• Costs funding

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LKH v TQA AL Z (Interim maintenance and pound for pound costs funding)

The court addressed persistent non-compliance with interim maintenance and costs orders and made a limited pound-for-pound funding order without debarring the respondent.

• Interim maintenance
• Costs funding
• Enforcement of orders
• Pound for pound order
• Disclosure obligations
• Family-law

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LKH v TQA AL Z (Interim maintenance and pound for pound costs funding)

LKH v TQA AL Z (Interim maintenance and pound for pound costs funding) [2018] EWHC 2436 (Fam) (24 July 2018)

The court addressed persistent non-compliance with interim maintenance and disclosure orders and made a pound-for-pound costs funding injunction, but refused to bar the respondent from being heard.

• Interim maintenance
• Costs funding
• Enforcement of financial orders
• Disclosure obligations
• Family-law
• Interim-maintenance

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US v SR

The High Court granted the wife's legal services payment order and refused the husband's request for further funds, finding she could not fund the case otherwise.

• Legal services payment order
• Financial provision
• Costs funding
• Disclosure obligations
• Legal-services-payment-order
• Family-financial-remedies

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AM v SS

AM v SS [2013] EWHC 4380 (Fam) (21 November 2013)

The High Court granted the wife a limited Legal Services Order in financial remedy proceedings, secured by a charge over the Maida Vale property.

• Legal services order
• Financial remedy
• Maintenance pending suit
• Costs funding
• Equality of arms
• Family-law

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