DIY Divorces

Deciding a marriage has come to an end is a decision that can take some people months and others even years to reach. Making the phone call to meet a solicitor would automatically have then been the next logical step but now more and more people are making reference to “DIY” divorces and “quickie” divorces.

What are these and do I need a solicitor?

A “quickie” divorce is a term often referred to however, all divorces in England and Wales have to go through the same process and, no matter how amicable the parties may be, there is not a tick box for one persons divorce to be processed any quicker than anybody else’s. There are now only a limited number of Courts in England & Wales that deal with divorce petitions, and provided other factors do not impact upon the divorce, it is dependent upon the efficiency of the Court centre you use and how quickly paperwork is processed as to how fast or slow you obtain your Decree Absolute.

A “DIY” divorce is now something that people consider and the government has various websites advising people where to get the appropriate forms and how to complete them. Unless you are on a low income and exempt from the Court fee, the Court fee that has to accompany your divorce petition, whether you have a solicitor or not, is currently £550.00 but the Court staff cannot give you any legal advice in relation to the completion of the documentation. Therefore, if you have any problems additional fees may be incurred trying to rectify them. The divorce process itself is not usually a complex matter and if you are organised, good with paperwork and read up on the subject first many people find they are more than able to complete their own divorces.

However, what people often do not realise is how the separate issues relating to a separation are interlinked and can have a significant impact, which they may not have been aware of. This particularly relates to financial matters, where often legal advice is required and not dealing with the finances can create considerable problems in both the short and long term if they aren’t dealt with properly before the marriage formally comes to an end. Seeing a solicitor upon the breakdown of a marriage can often prevent mistakes being made and bigger issues developing in the future.

Useful link

http://www.lawsociety.org.uk/for-the-public/common-legal-issues/getting-a-divorce/

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