When a relationship breaks down it can often be a stressful and confusing time. We can help you decide on what the best option is for you.
In order to proceed with a divorce, the marriage must have broken down irretrievably (otherwise understood to be beyond repair), but it does not need to have been caused by any particular fault.
Divorce can often be viewed as an intimidating procedure involving endless paperwork and visits to court. We are committed to making the entire process as hassle-free as possible. We will provide you with pragmatic, common sense advice that is suited to your individual situation.
Wherever possible, attendances at court will be avoided and to this end we endeavour to ensure that applications for divorce are issued by agreement or by using the newly introduced joint-applicant system. Divorce remains a legal process but we realise that for many people this may be their only experience of court and our aim is to de-mystify and simplify the steps involved for you.
We are highly experienced in all matters relating to divorce and separation and will advise you on all related issues depending on your individual circumstances, including arrangements and disputes in respect of children and also financial and property issues.
Together with our external expert resources, we can offer you a bespoke legal service tailored to meet your specific needs.
If you require further advice about divorce from one of our Family Solicitors in Southampton or on the Isle of Wight, please contact our team today.
The divorce process is divided into three stages: the application, the Conditional Order, and the Final Order and there are statutory waiting periods in between these stages.
Once the divorce application has been issued there is a period of 20-weeks which must pass before you can apply for the Conditional Order. Then, 6 weeks after the making of the Conditional Order the applicant can apply for the Final Order which finalises the divorce.
There are other factors which may vary the length of time that a divorce takes, such as negotiations regarding financial matters, however the process itself can be concluded within 26 weeks from the date of the application.
The law has recently changed to a ‘no-fault’ system which entitles anyone who is eligible to apply for a divorce without needing a reason.
As the Applicant you will submit the divorce application to the court and pay a court fee which initiates the procedure. 20 weeks after the application is issued by the court, you can apply for the Conditional Order and 6 weeks after that Order is granted, you can apply for the Final Order to obtain your divorce.
The divorce process is usually concluded without the need to physically attend the court. There are various applications which need to be completed and submitted to ensure the process is concluded seamlessly.
In the rare event that our clients need to attend court because an issue has arisen, we are highly experienced in resolving these issues and making the process as straight forward as possible.
There are financial implications of getting divorced which will need to be dealt with in a separate financial order. Throughout the divorce process we will guide our clients through these issues and from the outset of proceedings we encourage a voluntary exchange of financial information to allow for negotiations to proceed. Our aim for each of our clients is to achieve an amicable division of the assets without the need for recourse to the courts.
