At QualitySolicitors Harris Waters we look after our clients. We want to support you through any stress, not add to it; which is why we always work quickly and efficiently, and make sure you know all your options, and take care to keep you informed and up-to-date with all developments.
A No Fault Divorce allows couples to leave their marriage without having to use one of the five facts to prove your marriage has ‘irretrievably broken down’, you can simply make a declaration together saying that it has.
Can a couple jointly apply for a no fault divorce?
Yes. A couple can apply for a no fault divorce singly or jointly. Previously one spouse had to issue divorce proceedings against the other.
The new law doesn’t change that a solicitor can only act for one of you in any child or financial arrangements.
There might be the need to consider what would happen if one of you changes your mind due to a breakdown during discussions on child or financial arrangements.
How long does a no fault divorce take?
If everything therefore runs smoothly and there are no other issues, the minimum length of time to get a divorce now will be six months.
No Fault Divorce process.
- A couple apply for a divorce individually or together. This means they can choose to make a statement together explaining their marriage has irretrievably broken down. They don't need to explain why.
- A period of 20 weeks will apply as a ‘cooling off period’
- After 20 weeks and the couple are still looking to proceed, a Conditional Order is granted by the court. At this point you can now file a financial consent order with the court following the Condition Order being granted and (if you are having one) the financial order sealed (agreed) you can apply for your final divorce order
- A 6-week period
- After the 6 weeks is over a Final Order is made by the court.
- The minimum length of time to get a No Fault Divorce will be 6 months.
Can you contest a no fault divorce?
No, you cannot contest a no fault divorce. The reason for contesting a divorce is the mistaken belief that admitting fault will affect access to children and the fair division of financial assets.
Although a no fault divorce cannot be contested, the terms of the divorce can. For example, financial arrangements and arrangements for children. In this case terms may be agreed through mediation or, failing that, through the court.
What happens about the parenting arrangements and finances?
You will need to reach an agreement on how the arrangements for parenting and how the assets and finances are agreed whilst living separately, as these are separate parts of your divorce and are not covered under the no fault divorce law.
If you are having difficulty on coming to an agreement between yourselves, mediation is the next reasonable step as it is a pre-requisite for going to court for a decision in most cases.
How much does a no fault divorce cost?
A no fault divorce may be less costly than the current divorce process because it is less contentious. It is hoped that more amicable agreements can be reached more quickly so outcomes are less expensive.
Arrangements for children and matters relating to property and finances will still need to be agreed. The associated costs here will be the same as any type of divorce.
We offer a range of clearly priced divorce services, so you can choose what best suits your circumstances. Our services range from initial Free Initial Assessment and Ask the Legal Expert (45 minutes for £99), through to full representation.
Looking for a local law firm that can support you through your divorce in Ilford? We’re here to help you with top quality legal advice exactly when you need it.
Many of our clients have said that just talking to us helped them to feel better when we were able to clarify certain things. We understand how overwhelming it can feel when you first approach a lawyer about a divorce, but we can offer you a lot of understanding, experience, and great legal advice tailored for you and your needs.
We work hard on our customer service because it’s so important to us how you feel.
That’s why we give all our clients direct lawyer contact details, so if something about your divorce is ever troubling you then just call your lawyer and talk to them about it. We’ll always do everything we can to answer to any query with a same-day response, and we can usually offer a fixed fee option for many of our services; which means you’ll find no hidden costs on your bill.
Our divorce solicitors in Ilford will provide you with a structured way forward, and our excellent customer service means you’ll always be up-to-date with any developments.
Some divorces are simple, whereas others don’t run so smoothly.
That’s why we specialise in a wide-range of divorce-related legal services. With QualitySolicitors Harris Waters you can be sure that whatever your circumstances, you can rely on us to handle it with your best interests at heart.
We can also offer expert legal advice on arrangements for children, change of name, domestic violence, and prenuptial agreements. We can also usually offer fixed fee services if it helps you to budget.
If you’re looking for excellent local divorce solicitors in Ilford, then we’re a perfect choice.
Laurence Harris is a partner as well as a specialist family solicitor; “Once you’ve accepted that divorce is the way forward, you need to get a good solicitor as soon as you can, because knowing what your options are feels much better than feeling overwhelmed by the unknown. We’re here to help you, listen to you, advise you and support you throughout the whole process. And there’s no such thing as a silly question; if you’re worried about any part of the divorce process just call us and we’ll give you an answer that same day.”
Call a divorce law firm in the Ilford area for free
Choosing a good divorce lawyer can be a tricky decision, so we provide Free Initial Assessment to everyone just so you can see if we’re right for you.
Free Initial Assessment is a convenient phone chat lasting around ten minutes. Tell us about your situation, and we’ll be able to give you an idea of what we can do to help.
When you have a spare ten minutes or so, give us a call on 020 8478 0888 and we can tell you for free how we can help.
We’re a friendly local law firm who can advise and guide you through your divorce from our Ilford office. But if you’re not ready to talk to us just yet, then perhaps these links might help?
Ilford Mediation Service is run by Relate and can help couples to discuss problems with their relationship more openly.
The Guardian has an interesting Divorce section with regularly updated articles and features.
If you have a specific question about ‘divorce law’, then the Law Donut website may have an answer for you.
If you’re splitting up and there are children involved, Relate’s What Next service offers practical help on how to manage the process.