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Divorce solicitors

The breakdown of any relationship can be difficult. You need pragmatic, expert advice. Our experienced divorce solicitors can give you the guidance you need if you choose to end your marriage or civil partnership.

We ensure that your case is dealt with sensitively and with respect for ongoing relationships. As members of Resolution, the family law association, we adhere to their Code of Conduct and take a non-confrontational approach where possible.

What to expect from our divorce solicitors

Whether a divorce or dissolution of a civil partnership, our solicitors will work with you to understand your situation and the best way forward. We encourage clients to maintain a constructive dialogue, especially when children are involved. We will endeavour to resolve even complex cases sensitively and without court proceedings. If your case does require a court-based settlement, our experienced team of lawyers will support and prepare you for this. We provide:

  • Pragmatic but personal support
  • Sensitive and constructive dialogue
  • A focus on settlement

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Jurisdiction for divorce or dissolution

In order to divorce or obtain a civil partnership dissolution, you need to have been married for more than a year.

There are various requirements to establish jurisdiction, but if either you or your spouse are resident in England and Wales, then it is very likely that you will be able to seek a divorce or dissolution there.

If either you or your spouse are not resident or domiciled in England and Wales, the courts may not have jurisdiction. Either of you may be able to commence divorce or dissolution proceedings elsewhere. Whether this is the case and whether it is advisable depends on your specific circumstances. It is very important that you should take advice.

In Scotland, there is a different set of legislative acts governing divorce and dissolution. Please see our specific sections on divorce and dissolution in Scotland if you believe your case may require to be dealt with under Scottish law. If you are in any doubt we have solicitors in both jurisdictions who can assist.

Where should the divorce or dissolution take place?

It might be that there is more than one possible jurisdiction for a divorce, and again, urgent advice must be taken, as timing could be critical for an application to be filed in one jurisdiction, rather than another. In some jurisdictions, the first in time rule will apply; in others it might be that the matter is decided on a basis of what is most convenient (forum conveniens).

In many jurisdictions, the financial remedies on divorce or dissolution will be linked to where the proceedings take place. The outcome for a financial settlement might be very different in one jurisdiction, rather than another.

International divorce and dissolution

A divorce or dissolution involving parties from different countries, whether nationals or expatriates, or involving assets held overseas can have added complexity and needs specialist advice. We can help with international family law disputes.

Brexit

If your case has any international element or you or your spouse has any connections to an EU country you should seek advice as to the potential impact on you and any immediate action which should be taken.

Divorce or civil partnership dissolution in England and Wales

England and Wales has a 'no fault' system for both divorce and dissolution for applications issued on or after 6 April 2022.

Grounds for divorce or dissolution

The ground is that the relationship has irretrievably broken down.

Process

The first step is for your application for divorce or dissolution to be issued at court. Your marriage certificate and a court fee are required. If you bring the application you are known as the applicant. If you bring an application together, one of you will be called applicant 1 and the other applicant 2.

The court serves the application on your spouse/partner, usually by email and post. In some circumstances, alternative arrangements can be made by the applicant. Your spouse/partner will be known as the respondent. They must return their acknowledgement of service to the court. An acknowledgement of service form must also be completed if there are joint applicants.

There are limited options to dispute proceedings, although it may be possible on jurisdictional grounds or if there is a dispute about validity, fraud or procedural irregularity.

Assuming the proceedings go ahead on an undefended basis, the applicant (if a sole application), both applicants in a joint application, or in some circumstances a sole applicant (if proceedings have been issued jointly), may then apply for the first stage of the divorce or dissolution, called a conditional order (previously called decree nisi). The application can only be made a minimum of 20 weeks from the date the application is issued.

The court reviews the application and, if satisfied that the criteria are met, grants a certificate of entitlement to the conditional order and sets a date for pronouncement.

The conditional order is pronounced in open court and a copy sent to both parties. From this stage onwards, the court has the power to make financial orders if asked.

Six weeks and one day after the conditional order, the applicant (or joint applicants) may apply for the final order (previously called decree absolute). If they do not the respondent may apply.

The final order is made and sent to both parties. The final order terminates a marriage or a civil partnership. It does not sever financial links between the parties.

Online divorce or dissolution

It is possible to obtain a divorce or dissolution through an online service provided by the court service. In some circumstances, the court may require a paper application.

Disputed divorce or dissolution

There are now very limited opportunities to dispute a divorce or dissolution if you do not accept that the marriage or civil partnership has irretrievably broken down. To do so, an answer must be filed within a limited time frame from service of the application. It is important to note that, save for the pronouncement of conditional orders, undefended applications are private. By contrast, defended divorces are heard in public proceedings. There are also cost consequences of defending divorces or dissolution proceedings. The procedure requires specialist advice.

Effect of final order

A final order terminates your marriage or civil partnership. Once you have a final order you are free to remarry.

It also affects inheritance under a will. You should review your will after a final order as some or all of its provisions may no longer be valid after divorce or dissolution.

A final order does not terminate your financial rights and responsibilities against or towards your former spouse/civil partner. Financial issues have to be considered and addressed separately in a court order in order to achieve finality. This can be done by consent, utilising a number of different dispute resolution options, or through the court.

It may be prudent to apply to the court to delay an application for final order until a financial settlement is resolved. Legal advice should be taken.

Nullity

In certain very limited circumstances, it is possible to obtain a declaration that the marriage or civil partnership was void or voidable. This is a complex area of law and highly fact-specific. If you consider this may be relevant to your circumstances you will need to take specialist advice which we would be happy to assist with.

As with a disputed divorce or dissolution, this process is heard in open court.

Religious marriages and divorces or dissolutions

A legal divorce or dissolution does not fulfil the requirements of a religious divorce or dissolution which are specific to the religion in question and must be dealt with separately, additional to a legal divorce or dissolution. Equally fulfilling the criteria to obtain a religious divorce or dissolution alone will not mean that you are legally divorced or that the civil partnership is dissolved. Specialist advice may be necessary.

Judicial separation

If you do not wish to divorce or dissolve your civil partnership but do require a formal legal separation, you can apply for a judicial separation. The process and legal implications of a judicial separation are different from divorce and dissolution. Most significantly, your marriage or civil partnership is not terminated by a judicial separation.

Whether it is advisable to opt for judicial separation instead of a divorce will depend on your particular circumstances upon which you will require advice.

Divorce and dissolution in Scotland

Scottish divorce and dissolution is governed by the Divorce (Scotland) Act 1976 and the Family Law (Scotland) Act 1985.

There is a no fault-based system of divorce and dissolution in Scotland. That means that the reason for the divorce and dissolution, such as adultery or behaviour, has no bearing on the financial orders that will be granted. Instead, the courts only need to be satisfied that there has been an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage or civil partnership such that there is no possibility of any reconciliation.

Simplified divorce or dissolution in Scotland

If there are no children under 16 and financial matters have already been resolved by agreement, an application can be made for a simplified divorce or dissolution. This requires an application form to be completed and lodged at court. There is a fee to be paid to the court. The other party needs to be notified.

Ordinary divorce or dissolution in Scotland

If there are still financial matters in dispute or issues in respect of children to be resolved a normal divorce or dissolution action is required.

The process of applying for a divorce or dissolution in Scotland is by way of an initial writ being lodged at court. Once a person has obtained a divorce or dissolution they have no right to ask for further financial orders except in very exceptional and rare circumstances. Accordingly, it is imperative that anyone raising or defending a divorce or dissolution ensures that they take advice beforehand to ensure they protect their right to any financial claim before the divorce or dissolution is granted.

High net worth divorce and dissolution

Divorces and dissolution involving high net worth individuals have added complexity and need specialist handling. Our high net worth divorce specialists are experts in this area.

Guides and support

Frequently asked questions

  • What happens if my spouse or civil partner seeks to dispute my divorce or dissolution application?

    In English/Welsh law, if matters are disputed, your spouse/civil partner will need to complete the Acknowledgment of Service form to indicate that they intend to defend the proceedings, and also file an answer to your application, setting out why they object to the divorce/dissolution. There are limited options under the ‘no fault’ process.

    The court will fix an appointment for the judge to make directions for the filing of evidence if a way forward cannot be negotiated. A contested court hearing will then follow. It will take place in open court, which unlike the majority of family law proceedings, is open for members of the public to attend. Evidence will be heard from both parties, and any supporting witnesses if applicable, and the court will make a decision based on a balance of probabilities.

    Contested divorce or dissolution proceedings can be lengthy, costly and time-consuming when the likelihood is that both parties have decided that their relationship cannot continue. As such, they tend to be few and far between.

  • Do I have to pay costs?

    If an order for costs is sought, the applicant will need to make an application to the court. It is in the court's discretion whether to make an order.

    It is anticipated that costs orders will be unusual given the ‘no fault’ process.

  • How long does the divorce or dissolution process take?

    It will take a minimum period of 26 weeks to complete English/Welsh divorce or dissolution proceedings from when they are issued at court, although your solicitor may advise you to delay applying for the final order (which finally terminates your marriage or civil partnership) until financial matters have been resolved.

  • We have had a religious marriage, but not a civil ceremony. Am I married?

    You would need to check details of your ceremony to ascertain whether it complied with civil law regulating marriages in the country in which you were married. If it did not, you will not be legally married and as such, do not have the status of a spouse. Neither will you need to get divorced in civil law (but there might be a religious process you wish to go through).

    Even if you are not married, there may be legal remedies available to you – as a cohabitant or as a parent.

  • When do I sort out my financial order?

    This answer applies to a divorce or dissolution progressing in England and Wales.

    You should endeavour to negotiate your financial settlement at the same time as discussing the divorce or dissolution itself. A financial order is a separate document to those documents arising from the divorce or dissolution (e.g. your conditional order or final order) and it records your financial settlement/deals with all other financial obligations that might have arisen between you and your spouse/civil partner of your marriage/civil partnership. Even if you think that there is nothing to sort out financially, you should still take expert legal advice as an order is always strongly recommended. Unless and until a financial order is made, all potential financial claims remain open. See our dedicated page on divorce finance.

    If you have agreed financial terms, they should be recorded in a draft court order. You cannot file a draft order with the court, requesting approval by the District Judge, until you have passed the date of your conditional order.

    There are special rules applicable to Scottish financial settlements, and expert advice should be sought.

  • Do we need to have sorted out arrangements for the children before we get our final order?

    Not necessarily, as issues in relation to your children may arise at any stage during their minority. However, it is clearly prudent to start discussing plans for the children at an early stage when you start to consider separating/divorce or dissolution.

    Please see our child law page for more information.

  • What documents do I need to file a divorce or dissolution application?

    If a divorce or dissolution proceeds in England or Wales, in order to file an application, the court require your original marriage certificate or a certified copy which can be obtained from the General Register Office.

    It may need to be posted to the court, or alternatively scanned in, but do make sure you have the original or a certified copy to hand in case it is needed at any stage of the proceedings.

    There is also a court fee payable to the court when an application is filed. 

    An application form must be completed, stating that your marriage or civil partnership has irretrievably broken down.

  • When am I considered divorced/when is the civil partnership dissolved?

    The final order is the final stage of the English/Welsh divorce proceedings and this can be applied for six weeks and one day after the final order.

    If your spouse or civil partner has filed the application (and so is the applicant) but they have not applied for final order, then after a further three months you are able to make an application for the final order.

    The court will grant the application unless there is good reason not to do so. Examples of which may be that financial issues have not been resolved.

    It may be in your interests to delay an application for final order, especially if there are outstanding financial issues to be resolved. Once the final order has been granted, the marriage or civil partnership is at an end and both parties are free to remarry or enter into another civil partnership, if they wish.

  • I got married abroad – where can I get divorced?

    It depends. Whether you can get a divorce (called jurisdiction for a divorce) differs with each legal jurisdiction, which have their own laws and criteria that need to be met. Jurisdiction is often regulated by the parties’ domicile or place of residence at the time of a divorce, and timeframes might apply. As such, where you actually got married (or entered into a civil partnership) might have no relevance at all.

    However, the ceremony you celebrated, and whether it complied with marriage laws in the jurisdiction where you married (or entered into a civil partnership), is very relevant. See our answer above regarding religious marriages.

  • My spouse/civil partner and I have international connections: where should I get a divorce or dissolution?

    You can only get a divorce or dissolution in a legal jurisdiction in which you meet the criteria for issuing proceedings. As explained in our earlier answer, this is often regulated by the parties' domicile or place of residence at the time of a divorce or dissolution.

    In some cases, one or more legal jurisdiction might be available to you. In that situation, you would need to take legal advice in each jurisdiction to work out which jurisdiction might be preferable for you to issue proceedings in. In particular, the outcome of a financial settlement for you might be very different in one place than another, and expert advice is needed in all possible jurisdictions.

  • Can I apply for a divorce or dissolution anywhere in the UK?

    There are specific legislative rules in place governing where a divorce or dissolution can be raised within the United Kingdom, based primarily on where the parties have last been habitually resident when they separated. The jurisdiction of the court is therefore not based on the country in which the marriage or civil partnership ceremony took place.

    For many couples who have moved around the UK during their marriage, this can mean that sometimes Scotland might have jurisdiction to hear the case while sometimes it may be England and Wales. As there can be substantial differences to the financial outcome for both parties, early advice should be sought if a person is contemplating divorce or dissolution in either country. We have experts who can advise on divorce or dissolution in England, Wales, and Scotland.

  • Do I need to take urgent advice?

    Yes. Timing can be critical, as in some jurisdictions the application issued 'first in time' can secure a divorce or dissolution in a particular jurisdiction.

    Other cases are determined on the basis of which jurisdiction is more 'convenient' for the divorce/dissolution , for example, where the assets are primarily located (known as forum conveniens). Detailed advice is required as these cases can be very complex.

  • I have discovered my spouse is planning to issue divorce proceedings abroad. What should I do?

    You must take urgent legal advice in that jurisdiction and also any other jurisdiction which may host divorce proceedings. The outcome of a financial settlement for you might be very different in one place than another, and expert advice is needed in all possible jurisdictions.

    In some jurisdictions the petition issued ‘first in time’ can secure a divorce or dissolution in a particular jurisdiction. Other cases are determined on the basis of which jurisdiction is more ‘convenient’ for the proceedings, for example, where the assets are primarily located (known as forum conveniens). Detailed advice is required as these cases can be very complex.

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