For many, summer is a time to enjoy a family holiday and a well-earned rest. However, this period can cause further fractures in a strained relationship for some partners.
For some couples, the summer holidays and Christmas period can often put a lot of extra strain on their relationship, so much so that you may now feel at a breaking point.
Many couples will, therefore, be committed to starting divorce proceedings after the summer holidays.
Sometimes, there is a verbal agreement that they will enjoy the summer together for the sake of the children, yet as soon as the children are back in school in September, divorce proceedings may start.
This is when you should seek expert legal advice from a family law practice.
Initial consultation
Our process starts with a 30-minute consultation for just £120, inclusive of VAT. Click here to make an appointment with us today.
Filling out the form D8
If you decide to divorce, you will be asked to complete numerous forms. Our family lawyers can take care of this process for you. However, one of the first forms to complete is the “D8.”
The divorce process cannot be rushed.
You might have had one of a series of terrible arguments with your partner during the summer holidays, and this has made you adamant that you wish to go through with the divorce. You might want to push on with the divorce process as quickly as possible at this moment in time. However, it's important to remember that cooling-off periods are built into the divorce process.
There is a 20-week cooling-off period when you apply for a “conditional order” in the initial stages.
We mention this here because it's important to note that the divorce process can feel like it's moving at a snail's pace for some separating couples. However, this is designed to allow for a cooling-off period, so both sides can take their time to make sure they are making the right decision.
Final order
Family lawyers will often describe the final order as the “decree absolute”, and it's important to remember that you must wait another six weeks before applying for your final order.
We are at loggerheads about dividing our finances and assets- can you help?
This is not uncommon. As you can imagine, many disputes during the divorce process centre around money and what should happen to the family home.
We recommend being as amicable with your former spouse throughout the divorce. With that said, you shouldn't agree to anything you feel is unfair and unreasonable.
Your former partner may have an entrenched view of what they consider fair. It's even possible they have obtained some bad legal advice, which means they are now possibly operating under a false illusion of what they think is “rightfully theirs”.
Therefore, calmer heads should prevail, and our expert family lawyers will advise you throughout.
Pursuing an unfair divorce settlement often means that the divorce drags on for an extended period; if an agreement cannot be reached outside of the courts, the legal bill can be drastically increased on both sides.
Therefore, you need to step back and obtain expert advice to get a fair financial settlement and stop your partner from pursuing something that could be considered unfair. In your defence, we will work hard to negotiate a fair settlement, either inside or outside the family courts.
What is a Mediation Information Assessment Meeting (MIAM)?
Since 2024, attending a mediation information assessment meeting (MIAM) has been compulsory, but many couples have misconceptions about this.
A common misconception is that this series of mediation sessions aims to fix problems in an already broken relationship and bring the couple back together. This is most definitely not the case. Therefore, it is not a process to try to fix or salvage the relationship.
Instead, the MIAM is a process that tries to arrive at an amicable settlement outside the courts.
Sometimes, a swift resolution can be possible for some couples because a large number of items can be agreed upon during the divorce process.
How we can help
It's of paramount importance that you obtain expert legal advice as soon as possible. You may not want to commit to using our family law practice throughout your divorce; you might want to hire us instead on a pay-as-you-go basis, offering you more flexibility.
Therefore, when you feel you need more support during your divorce, you might want to hire our family lawyers on an hourly basis. Other separating partners, on the other hand, might wish to have representation throughout the process, and we can also offer this also.
Call us today to see how we can help and support you throughout your divorce.
