Divorce

Ensuring that you have expert legal advice to guide you through a divorce and help you understand your rights will ensure that you gain the best outcome for you and your family in your particular circumstances.

For specialist legal advice in relation to your divorce, please click the button below and get in touch:

Family and Child Law Solicitors London & Cambridge

Our team of London divorce lawyers have a strong record of achieving success for clients. If your your marriage or relationship has broken down, we will give expert guidance on separating, getting divorced and protecting your children and finances.

Family and Child Law Solicitors London & Cambridge

Our team of London divorce lawyers have a strong record of achieving success for clients. If your your marriage or relationship has broken down, we will give expert guidance on separating, getting divorced and protecting your children and finances.

What are the grounds for divorce?

Where one spouse wishes to commence divorce proceedings, they need to first make sure all the following have to apply:
● The couple have been married for at least 12 months.● The relationship has permanently broken down.● The marriage is legally recognised in the UK.● The UK is the permanent home of one of the spouses.
If the above grounds are met, then the spouse requesting a divorce needs to show one of the following five grounds:
● The other spouse has committed adultery, which is sexual intercourse with someone of the opposite sex. This ground cannot be used where the two parties continued to live together as a couple for more than six months since discovering the adultery.● Unreasonable behaviour- the behaviour of the other spouse means it is unreasonable for you to live together. This can include physical violence, verbal abuse, alcohol or drug abuse and refusing to contribute financially to the family expenses.● Desertion by the other spouse for a continuous period of at least two years.● Separation from the other spouse for at least two years and both agree to divorce.● Separation for at least five years, even without the consent of the other party.

The divorce process

Whether or not the divorce is contested will affect the length of time it takes to finalise and also the cost of the entire process. The divorce can be a paper-based exercise where both parties agree. Where the parties do not agree then the matter may end up proceeding through the courts, though mediation or other alternative forms to litigation will need to be explored first. An amicable divorce can be completed within about four to six months and the main stages of the divorce are as follows:

    Filing the PetitionThe court will send a copy of the divorce petition to your spouse which they need to acknowledge within seven days.
    Decree NisiIt is then possible to apply for the Decree Nisi (first decree), which is a document that the court issues to say they cannot see a reason why you cannot divorce. When the decree nisi is pronounced by the judge a pronouncement date is set.
    Final DecreeThe final decree can be applied for six weeks and a day after the pronouncement date. The application usually takes about two weeks at which point the marriage is formally ended.