Jersey: Family Law

Who is to be treated as a child for the purpose of construing how an offshore trust or will is supposed to operate?

Modern family structures have transformed the legal landscape of inheritance and trust law in Jersey and Guernsey. From blended families and adoption to same-sex relationships and surrogacy arrangements, determining who qualifies as a 'child' or 'issue' requires careful navigation of evolving legislation, historical distinctions between legitimate and illegitimate children, and the specific dates when trusts and wills were executed.

The Civil Status (Abolition of Legitimacy Etc) (Jersey) Law 2025 (the Law), which came into force on 24 November 2025 has abolished the concept of illegitimacy in Jersey.

Jersey has its own set of laws regarding marriage and divorce which must be followed if you want your divorce proceedings to go as smoothly as possible.

Ian Rumens, Head of Private Client Jersey and Lynda O'Mahoney, Global Head of Business Development, recently met with a number of intermediaries and senior members in Family Offices...

Advocate Lauren Glynn, Counsel in Carey Olsen (Jersey) LLP's family team, represented the Petitioner, C (via the Viscount in her capacity as Guardian Ad Litum)...

It is clear that a well drafted and properly administered trust can be an effective asset protection vehicle in the context of divorce. Broadly the test now applied by the Family Division of...

Many trust disputes are not about what a trustee may or may not have done but about who should or shouldn't be the trustee. A common situation is where one member of a family has the power...

Some may think trusts and foundations are only used by very wealthy people or families, or that by putting assets into a trust or foundation in international finance centres (IFCs) like Jersey, then they are avoiding tax.