The introduction of The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 on 6th April 2022 is the first major reform to divorce laws since the 1970s.
It has removed the need to blame the other marital/civil partner for the ending of the relationship, resulting in the 'No-Fault Divorce'.
All too often, blaming the other partner led to conflict, which meant the whole process - dealing with the family finances, the children - was mired in unnecessary acrimony.
Now, the process better reflects the modern society in which we live, where a conciliatory approach to resolving issues in the best interests of the whole family is an accepted goal.
Alternative ways of resolving the issues, such as mediation, now have a better chance of succeeding with the focus firmly on the practical matters requiring a solution.
Irretrievable Breakdown
The new divorce process has one reason for the ending of the relationship: irretrievable breakdown.
An application for divorce can be made by either partner or jointly. It cannot be defended.
The time frame is a minimum of 26 weeks as there is an obligatory cooling-off period between the application and the conditional order of 20 weeks, followed by a further six weeks before a final order is made.
No-Fault Divorce Costs
There are a couple of factors in the new process that have made the potential costs of the divorce much more predictable and, indeed, less.
Without the need to specify in detail why the relationship is ending in writing, there is no time incurred in doing so.
Whilst cross petitions and defended divorces were rare, their potential costs were significant.
Now the process is streamlined, Monan Gozzett can, for the first time, offer its clients a fixed no-fault divorce fee when acting for the Applicant or Respondent.
When acting for the Applicant, the fee is £600 + VAT and the Respondent £400 + VAT.
The Applicant also has to pay a court fee of £593 at the outset of the application.
While dealing with all the issues arising at the end of a marital/civil relationship can be daunting, some certainty as to the cost of this part of the process will be welcome.
The more difficult issues to work out will be the arrangements concerning the children and how the family finances are to be divided.
However, Monan Gozzett are here to help you through this and support you all the way with the expertise you need to make your way to a bright new future.
Contact Monan Gozzett
If you are looking for a divorce solicitor, contact Monan Gozzett today to see how we can help.
We can offer advice on how to fund a divorce as well as discuss any questions you might have about the divorce process.
You can get in touch using any of the details below or visit our contact page.
If you would like to speak to our expert legal team about this, or any related subject then please contact our team by phone on 0207 936 6329, Email or by completing our Quick Contact Form below.