A huge congratulations to all who ran and took part in the London Marathon 2022 over the weekend.
One thing we hear a lot of clients say at an initial meeting is that they would like a ‘quick divorce’. However, I often think that the process of divorce is more akin to a marathon rather than a quick sprint.
Divorce can be an emotional and stressful experience and the natural reaction is to want to get it over with as fast as possible. However, there are statutory timeframes and a minimum waiting period fixed into the divorce process in England and Wales. There is therefore a limit as to how quickly the divorce can pass from the starting line of your divorce application to the finishing result of a Final Order of Divorce.
On 6 April 2022, the new ‘no fault’ divorce law reforms came into place in England and Wales, including the following timetable:
- A minimum of 20 weeks from the date the divorce application is issued before the Conditional Order can be granted; and
- A minimum of 6 weeks from the date of the Conditional Order before the Final Order of Divorce can be granted.
The minimum time frame that a divorce can proceed from the issue of the application through to the Final Order is 26 weeks. Not too dissimilar from the distance of a marathon (26.2 miles).
There is also financial separation to consider when going through a divorce. You should seek legal advice as to whether to proceed with the Final Order of Divorce if you and your spouse have not yet resolved your financial claims against each other by way of a financial order.
As a result, the divorce process can realistically take longer than 26 weeks. However, the important thing to remember, is that our team of family lawyers at Lester Aldridge are on hand to support you, through your divorce and financial separation, each step of the way.
What do you need to issue a divorce application?
- Service details for your spouse (postal address & email address);
- Your original marriage certificate; and
- The court fee for a divorce application of £593.
If you have any questions regarding the divorce process or want to discuss your matter further, please feel free to contact us at 0344 967 0793 or email online.enquires@la-law.com.
