What do you need to know?
The New Year comes with major changes in terms of getting divorced because from 6th April 2022 a new “No-Fault” divorce process will become a law. Therefore, married couples who have recently separated will be able to start the divorce process by simply stating that their marriage has ‘broken down irretrievably’, without the need to go into detail or apportion blame. Also, for the first time, a married couple can apply jointly for their divorce, but one person can still unilaterally divorce the other if they want.
How long does the new divorce process take?
The new divorce process from start to finish will take at least 26 weeks (6 months). However, it is essential to remember that the divorce process will not automatically sort out any related issues concerning finances or children. We should hope that those additional issues can also be resolved within the 6-month divorce period, but in some cases, it will be wise to delay the completion of the divorce process until a full and final financial agreement has been recorded within a ‘consent order’.
As this legal change has already been postponed from Autumn 2021, we hope that there won’t be any further delays! We also hope that removing the need for ‘fault’ will help to divorce couples move on with their lives with less acrimony and upset.HGW’s team of family law solicitors provide free advice with an initial 30-minute consultation, so contact our specialists today to find out how they can help you.
By Colin Mitchell – Head of Family Department and Collaborative Family Lawyer
