Divorce & Family Law

Divorce & Family Law

Our Divorce Solicitors know that divorce often involves high emotions, especially when there are children involved. Our team of Divorce Solicitors & Child Lawyers is sensitive to your needs during this difficult time, and works with you to resolve your divorce with compassion and efficiency. We also try not to use legal jargon when we communicate with you.

If you need expert legal advice about divorce or you have a question about getting a divorce in the UK or abroad, just contact us, and we’ll be happy to help. Our team of lawyers speaks a number of languages so we will do our best to accommodate when English is not your first language.

Divorce procedure explained

The basic legal requirements

You need to have been married for at least one year and one of you has to have been resident in England or Wales

The court needs to be satisfied that the marriage has irretrievably broken down, usually by relying on one of the following facts:

• Adultery
• Unreasonable behaviour
• Desertion
• Two years of separation (with consent)
• Five years of separation

A marriage is brought to an end by the court making two decrees. A Decree Nisi, which decrees that the court is satisfied that there are grounds for a divorce and the correct legal process has been followed. Then not less than six weeks and one day later, the Decree Absolute brings the marriage to an end.

The basic steps explained (“a simple divorce”)

• Petition for divorce filed – one of the parties (the Petitioner) prepares this legal document and sends it to the court and their spouse.
• Acknowledgement – the spouse prepares a separate legal document indicating whether the divorce is to be contested.
• Request for a Decree Nisi – this legal document is usually prepared by the Petitioner’s solicitor and sent to the court.
• Pronouncement’ of the Decree – if the court is satisfied with the grounds and the process has been followed, the court will make this first decree in court (there is usually no need for either party to attend).
• Application for Decree Absolute – the Petitioner applies to the court to make the Decree Absolute.
• Decree Absolute –  the court, if it is satisfied with the process, will make this decree, and the marriage comes to an end.

 If you and your spouse are in total agreement and want a simple and straightforward divorce then our experienced divorce lawyers can help you achieve this for a fixed competitive price.

The price includes:

• Drafting divorce petition and supporting documents
• Sending draft to Husband/Wife
• Advising in light of any response and making one substantive amendment
• Issuing at Court
• Checking with the Court that an Acknowledgment has been filed
• Preparing the required statement in support of a petition to make application for Decree Nisi
• Lodging application with the Court
• Advising the client of the date for Decree Nisi
• Preparing and making an Application for Decree Absolute
• Keeping you informed as divorce progresses and sending you any important documents issued by the Court

*This price is not suitable for everyone, and there are limitations and restrictions that we will explain to you in more detail.  The price does not include, for example, Court fees or other disbursements, Court attendance or correspondence or advice relating to financial or children's issues.

Why choose Us?

• We offer legal aid in family matters including mediation
• We offer fixed fee if paying privately
• Our clients trust us
• We treat them with respect
• We listen to them
• We respond to their needs
• We know the law
• We succeed in reaching agreed objectives
• We have a good reputation
• We focus on you