The Divorce Season So Christmas is over and for some it was lovely. For others it was stressful and wishing the days away for the holiday period to end. We are always contacted over Christmas (the divorce season), often on Christmas day and this year was no exception. A lady called to say that she had just discovered her husband was having an affair with the neighbour next door. It had been going on for some months and as you can imagine, their Christmas day was not a happy one. I wondered how they managed to hide this from the children! What a difficult situation. As with most people who have ..read more

No fault divorce is due to come into effect in England and Wales in April 2022. The Government confirmed in April 2019 that divorce law in England and Wales would be changing, with the introduction of no fault divorce. This means that couples will be able to get divorced without one person needing to blame the other. This change in the law will also apply to civil partnership dissolution too. How will “No fault divorce” work Here is a summary of the changes to divorce law from April 2022. 1. Couples will be able to apply for divorce jointly Under current laws, the petitioner needs to issue di ..read more

Have you ever heard that your have a chimp? No not a little monkey, but a naughty voice inside your head. Our brain is made up of three parts when it comes to thinking. One is the computer, which is where we know instinctively how to do something without needing to think about it. You did it, you learned it, you stored it. The other is the Human brain. The rational one. The last and by far the worse is the Chimp brain. One reason you are in a position of getting a divorce is because the Chimp has been out talking far to much from both of you. The other is because the Chimp wont let you listen ..read more

Life all seems pretty gloomy right now. People still trying to find themselves again having been locked in for so long. But can you imagine being locked in with someone you really didn’t like. Imagine, just about to leave the marriage, and lockdown is thrown at us on 23rd March 2020 You cannot view properties. No one answers the phone. You are held in long queues on the phone, and end up having the phone put down. Now, we are out of lockdown and everything, and I mean everything has gone up. Rent, property prices, second hand cars. The world has gone mad. And mixed up in that is a divorce and ..read more

Have you ever wondered how a solicitor can tell a wife she is entitled to 80% of the matrimonial house and the husbands solicitor says he is entitled to 50% of the house. That just doesn’t add up does it? Continue for a minute if you will, imagining this couple both chose the others solicitor to get the advice in the first place. Do you think the solicitor might just change their percentages? Yes they would. The reason is all about getting the best for their client. But is getting a bigger percentage actually worth all the hurt, pain and upset that it often carries with it? I do not believe i ..read more

As of 30th Septemberr 2021, the court fees for divorce has increased from £550 to £593. The cost for a consent order has increased from £50 to £53 too. Court fee exemption It is a little known fact that people can be partially or fully exempt from divorce court fees. Most couples going through a divorce are aware there is full exemption for those on benefits and a very low income, but few are aware there is a partial exemption for those earning above £1085 per month.  The upper limit of income depends on the number of dependent child under the age of 19 you have. So for an example ..read more

So, you’ve popped the question (or had a proposal), set a date and started planning your big day. It’s a golden time; filled with romantic walks, candlelit meals and long chats about growing old together. This hardly seems the ideal time to suggest an asset protection agreement, or prenuptial agreement, as they’re also known. However, it’s becoming an increasingly common conversation for couples to have as they prepare to marry. A pragmatic view Prenuptial agreements are no longer reserved for the rich and famous. Today, more and more people are taking a pragmatic view of their lives and marr ..read more

Falling out with your partner is bad enough! But imagine if someone came along and made things a lot worse? When tensions are high, the slightest bit of new information, gossip or untrue accusation can heighten the pressure on the situation. Divorce is often perceived as a civilised war.  Solicitors try to control the puppet strings and purse strings to suit their needs in their own orchestra. A solicitor is generally a busy person and doesn’t have time to get to know you and your whole situation. Those that deal with divorce will simply want to make as much money as possible to make it ..read more

It is reported that around 50% of all marriages now end in divorce.  This is of course why divorce is far more accepted in today’s UK society than it ever used to be. You are not expected to stay in an unhappy relationship because of societal pressures. But if you feel your relationship has broken down and there is no going back.  You are likely to have come to this conclusion for a variety of reasons and not always together. The Huffington Post reported that there were 10 most common reasons people got divorce, this included; marrying for the wrong reason, intimacy disappearing, fi ..read more

Divorce costs do not have to be excessive. The cost to file for a divorce or dissolution in England is £550. All too often, the costs escalate quickly if an amicable approach is not adopted by each party.  When the negotiating gets entrenched with solicitors. Most charge an hourly rate, which could be anything between £200 and £600, depending on the firm. If you still don’t come to an agreement, it’s possible your case could escalate and end up in court. This means the judge will have to impose a settlement. And, if that’s the case, you could easily end up paying £15,000 each in legal fee ..read more