When your marriage ends, do you know how to find a divorce lawyer you trust, to advise and represent you during the divorce process? Online search engines or recommendations from friends are an increasingly popular way to find a divorce solicitor.

To maximise this method however you should carefully consider the following before finding a divorce lawyer who's right for you.

1. Experience

Are there particular areas of your divorce/separation that will benefit from particular expertise? E.g. do you need a lawyer with extensive child law

As family lawyers we are regularly asked the question: Can I change the locks on my spouse? This is probably one of the most common questions I am asked when dealing with a client's separation or divorce.

The short answer is no. Regardless of whose name the property is in, each spouse has the right to occupy the property. These rights are known in Scots Law as 'occupancy rights'.

The only way to legally exclude your spouse from the family home is by