The breakdown of a marriage can be traumatic and daunting. Our aim is to try and resolve family disputes as amicably and swiftly as possible by mutual agreement. However, if this is not possible, we can issue or respond to Court proceedings quickly to protect your interests in the best possible way. With our help, issuing divorce proceedings can be a relatively straightforward process.

In England and Wales, divorce proceedings begin with one spouse – or both spouses jointly – submitting an application to the court. Since the introduction of no-fault divorce in April 2022, it is no longer necessary to assign blame or prove grounds such as unreasonable behaviour or adultery; the spouse(s) must simply state that the marriage has irretrievably broken down, and you must have been married for at least one year. Accordingly, the earliest you can apply for a divorce is one day after your first anniversary. A mandatory 20-week reflection period follows before a conditional order can be granted (this is the court’s confirmation that there is no legal reason why the divorce cannot proceed) with a further six weeks required before the final order legally ends the marriage. Divorce proceedings are often accompanied by related matters such as financial settlements and arrangements for any children, which can be agreed between the parties or determined by the court.

A divorce takes at least six months to complete, even if your circumstances are straightforward. It may take longer if you need to sort out issues with children, property or money. These aspects will be dealt with separately to your divorce.