Family law in France
Facing a family law issue in another country can mean dealing not only with a difficult personal situation, but also with an unfamiliar legal system, procedure and language. Based in Lyon, HELION Avocats assists English-speaking clients with family law matters connected with France, including situations involving more than one country.
Booking via Meetlaw · external platform in French
Your situation
When your family situation involves France
An international family situation may raise several separate questions. Which court has jurisdiction? Which country’s law applies? Can divorce proceedings take place in France? What happens when children live in France, when one parent wishes to move abroad, or when property is located in several countries? How will maintenance, financial arrangements or a foreign judgment be dealt with?
A connection with France does not necessarily mean that French law governs every aspect of the situation. The first step is to identify the relevant courts, rules and countries.
Family law
How we can assist
Divorce & separation
French divorce proceedings, mutual-consent divorce, court proceedings and the consequences of separation.
Children & parental responsibility
Children’s residence, parental responsibility, contact arrangements, schooling and important decisions.
Relocation & child maintenance
Moving within France or abroad after separation, and financial contributions towards a child’s maintenance and education.
Financial & property matters
Property, matrimonial property regimes, business interests, child maintenance and prestation compensatoire — a specific French divorce mechanism addressing certain disparities created by the breakdown of marriage.
International family law
Jurisdiction, applicable law, recognition of foreign decisions and family situations involving several countries.
International
When several countries are involved
International family law is rarely limited to one question. A couple may live in France, have married abroad, have different nationalities, own property in several countries, have children born or living abroad, or already have a foreign judgment or agreement.
Jurisdiction, applicable law, children, financial consequences, property and the recognition or enforcement of decisions may need to be considered separately. A French court may have jurisdiction over one aspect of a family situation without every related issue necessarily being governed by French law.
Children
Children, residence and parental responsibility
A separation involving children may require decisions about the child’s main or alternating residence, time with each parent, parental responsibility, schooling, important decisions and maintenance. French legal terminology may differ from concepts such as “custody” used in other systems, and should not be translated mechanically.
Relocation
Moving with a child
A parent’s decision to relocate may significantly affect the child’s existing arrangements and the other parent’s relationship with the child. Where possible, the legal consequences should be considered before the move takes place: residence, parental responsibility, schooling, contact arrangements, distance, practical organisation and international jurisdiction all depend on the circumstances.
Divorce in France
Divorce proceedings in France
Divorce by mutual consent
Where spouses agree on the divorce and its consequences, a non-judicial divorce may be possible in certain circumstances. It is not automatically available or appropriate in every international situation.
Court proceedings
Court proceedings may be required where agreement cannot be reached or where the circumstances require judicial intervention. Provisional arrangements may be needed for children, the family home, financial contributions and the organisation of the spouses’ separate lives.
Financial matters
Looking beyond the divorce itself
A divorce is not only about ending a marriage.
A separation may also involve real estate, savings, investments, companies, professional assets, debts, matrimonial property regimes, child maintenance, property in several countries and prestation compensatoire. Decisions made during the proceedings can have financial consequences for years afterwards. HELION therefore seeks to understand the overall structure before a strategy is chosen.
Your lawyer
Christophe David
A lawyer at the Lyon Bar since 2016 and founder of HELION Avocats, Christophe David focuses on family, personal and patrimonial matters, including private international family law. His practice is also informed by teaching and professional certification in divorce and separation law.
Working together
Legal advice should be a conversation
A lawyer knows the law. You know your life.
The lawyer’s role is to analyse the situation, explain the options, identify risks, give a clear recommendation and defend the client’s interests. But the decisions concern the client’s life. A meaningful strategy must therefore take account of the client’s priorities, constraints and objectives. The strategy is built from both.
Clear advice also means being frank. Working collaboratively does not mean agreeing with everything. When a proposed strategy appears legally weak, unnecessarily confrontational, unrealistic or disproportionate to what is at stake, saying so is part of the lawyer’s role. Advising sometimes means advising against.
Serious about the work. Not about the posture.
Language
Discuss your situation in English
Meetings and communications with the firm can be conducted in English. Proceedings before French courts and many procedural documents remain subject to French legal and procedural requirements. Their purpose, content and implications can nevertheless be explained to you in English.
First steps
Getting started
01 — Tell us about your situation · Complete the English form below.
02 — Initial review · The firm reviews the information provided and the nature of your request.
03 — Appointment · A meeting can be arranged where appropriate.
04 — Understand your options · The legal issues, risks, possible strategies and next steps can then be discussed.
Fees
Clear information about fees
The applicable fee arrangement depends on the nature, complexity and scope of the work required. The terms of the engagement and fees are explained before the firm begins acting.
Prefer to book an appointment directly?
Book an appointment with Christophe David through the official Meetlaw platform.
Book an appointment →
Helion Avocats
Cabinet principal — 18 rue Servient, 69003 Lyon
Cabinet secondaire — 163 rue du Général de Gaulle, 69530 Brignais