Divorce, dissolution & ending civil partnerships

When faced with divorce, separation or civil partnership dissolution, it can be a confusing and anxious time. Our experienced divorce lawyers can provide you with the clear advice and support necessary to make the breakdown of your relationship as painless as possible.

The divorce process begins when you or your partner file an application stating why your marriage has irretrievably broken down. There is only one ground for divorce, which is proved by one of five facts.

Currently, there is no such thing as a no-fault divorce in England and Wales.

What are the five facts in divorce?

• Adultery
• Unreasonable behaviour
• Desertion by the husband or wife for a specified period
• A two-year separation on a consensual basis
• A five-year period of separation

The grounds for ending a civil partnership are the same as above, with the exception of adultery.

How long does a divorce take?

An unopposed divorce takes approximately 3-6 months. This is from the date that you or your partner’s petition is filed with the court to the pronouncement of Decree Nisi.

Within divorce law, there are two types of decree (court order):

• Nisi (conditional order)
• Absolute (final order)

The applicant then has to wait a minimum of six weeks and one day before they can apply for the Decree Absolute. Upon pronouncement of the Decree Absolute, your marriage is formally dissolved.

If you are in a civil partnership, you will follow a similar process as above to obtain a dissolution order. The court makes a conditional order of dissolution (similar to a Decree Nisi). The dissolution will be made final six weeks from the date of the conditional order (similar to a Decree Absolute).

It is often resolving the issues that arise from a separation or civil partnership dissolution that can result in lengthy court cases. If your relationship breakdown is amicable, you may find that you are able to agree a way forward without the intervention of the court.

Wherever possible, we work with you to try and avoid lengthy and expensive legal proceedings. Our experienced divorce solicitors include collaboratively trained lawyers. They are specialists in helping you and your partner resolve resulting issues through negotiated agreement.

How we can help you

Our divorce solicitors can offer specialist family legal advice on all aspects of divorce. We will discuss the options with you and tailor our advice to achieve the best outcome for you and your family, guiding you through the practical and legal considerations of:

• Separation orders and agreements
• The divorce process, as well as divorce that includes an international element
• Civil partnership dissolution orders
• Financial settlement, including pensions
• Arrangements for children
• If there are particular issues requiring the court’s intervention, such as
  • deciding on the sale of a property,
  • with whom your children should live, or
  • determining you or your partner’s entitlement to ongoing financial support.

Our experience

Our team of family lawyers are all members of Resolution, a group that promotes a non-confrontational approach to resolving family disputes.