Successful divorce lawyers and family solicitors Bath, Somerset

Your solicitor will provide an initial cost estimate based on your individual circumstances. Divorce costs can differ, particularly where financial settlements or child arrangements need to be resolved. You can find further guidance in our divorce costs guide and pricing information. We also offer a fixed-fee option for straightforward divorces.

Most of our cases are settled out of court. However, if this is not possible, you will attend Bath County Court and Family Court. Our solicitors will ensure you are fully prepared and supported for court and can provide expert legal representation.

Bath County Court and Family Court is located at The Law Courts, North Parade Road, Bath, BA2 4DU, a short distance from the city centre. If you are travelling from Bath Spa railway station, exit onto Dorchester Street and walk towards Manvers Street, following signs for the city centre. Continue along North Parade in the direction of Parade Gardens and the River Avon. As you proceed, you will pass by the Guildhall and Pulteney Bridge. North Parade Road runs alongside the River Avon, and the court building is situated along this road within the main court complex.

If you are travelling from our office on Queen Square, walk south-east along Gay Street towards the Circus and Brock Street, then continue downhill onto George Street and proceed towards the city centre. Head in the direction of Bath Abbey and the Guildhall, passing through the central shopping area, before continuing towards North Parade and the River Avon. From there, turn onto North Parade Road, where the Law Courts are located.

For further information about what to expect at Bath County Court and Family Court, read our helpful guide.

Whether you’re looking to divorce your partner, or you’re responding to a divorce application made by your spouse, you’ll be looking for expert advice and support.

The divorce process is often confusing, and for many, anger and frustration can creep in during divorce proceedings; which is why Stowe Family Law take great care to outline the emotional, practical and legal challenges that lie ahead whilst providing next steps so that you can move forward to achieve the outcome you’re looking for.

Our divorce solicitors in Bath can provide guidance on completing the divorce petition, through to negotiating financial settlements and child custody (child arrangement orders). Our expert law team is based in offices located on Cathedral Road (CF11) so we’re well placed to help you if you’re looking for legal services from divorce solicitors in Bath.

When you begin your application for divorce, it’s crucial to know whether you are going to apply alone (known as a sole applicant) or if you and your spouse will do it together (known as joint applicants). By having this understanding, you’ll save both of you time, money, and potential delays.

We understand that receiving a divorce application can be upsetting and stressful. It officially means that your marriage is ending. This is why having one of our Bath divorce solicitors in your corner can make the process that much easier, as we’ll be able to guide you through the process with care and empathy. We’ll discuss the process in a way that you understand so you can respond in a way you feel comfortable with.

Working out your arrangements for child custody can be a difficult and emotional step, and while it can become a contentious issue, it is in the best interests of your children to reach an amicable agreement with your ex-partner. It is helpful to have the support of a child law specialist on-hand to provide guidance on what a fair and workable arrangement might look like for you and your family. Our Bath child solicitors have extensive experience in child arrangement cases and have seen a variety of solutions to suit every situation, no matter how niche. Our goal is to get the best outcome for your children and to help you to maintain a positive relationship with your ex-partner where possible.

We are proud to be a part of the Bath and North East Somerset community through our work with local organisations and charitable support. We are partners of Bath City FC, supporting the club and its activities across the city.

We also support the Bath Foodbank, which provides emergency food and help to people in crisis. Additionally, we work with Dorothy House Hospice Care, an organisation that provides care and family support services throughout the region.

To find out more about our work in the area, please visit our local Bath partnerships page.

Each marriage is different, and this is always reflected in your finances. Trying to unpick years of financial ties can feel like an overwhelming task, and there are often complex financial issues that need to be resolved. Financial Settlements (commonly known as Divorce settlements) can cover everything from pensions, to investments, the family home, and even assets you owned before you got married. So, getting expert financial and legal help with your financial order is important if you’re looking to protect your assets while providing for your family once the divorce is finalised.

We have experience in dealing with complex financial matters, property and estates; as well as catering to high net worth individuals and clients with assets abroad, so if you are looking to achieve a fair settlement while protecting your assets, our financial settlement lawyers and forensic accounting team can help you.

Like divorce, ending a civil partnership will take a heavy emotional toll. While some are familiar with the concept of divorce, for many, the path to dissolving a civil partnership will be much less clear; this process is known as dissolution and can only be instigated after you’ve been in a civil partnership for a year. If you choose to dissolve your civil partnership, you will be entitled to all the same benefits and entitlements as those who get divorced, and in a similar vein, thought will need to be given to the sharing of assets, arrangements for children.

The main difference between dissolution and divorce is that you cannot use ‘adultery’ as your grounds for dissolution, this must instead fall under ‘unreasonable behaviour’. To help you navigate a dissolution application, our expert team can provide practical guidance and peace of mind.

Separation changes how you live, not whether you’re married. You may decide to live apart and sort out practical arrangements, but you are still legally married. Divorce is different. It’s the legal process that formally brings the marriage to an end.

Until then, financial matters between spouses are not finally settled and can usually still be raised later. This is why being separated but not divorced can carry legal consequences that many people don’t expect.

Often earlier than people expect. This might be when separation is first discussed, before someone moves out, or when worries about children or finances start to surface.

Timing matters because certain decisions (such as leaving the family home or dividing money) can have legal and practical consequences. Some people simply want to understand what usually needs dealing with early, and what can safely wait.

This is a common reason people in the Bath area speak to a family solicitor before taking any steps.

No. You are not required to use a solicitor, and some couples manage the process themselves, where everything is agreed.

However, the law around finances and children is structured and formal, even where relations are amicable. Where there is property, pensions, children, or disagreement, legal advice can help clarify what the law allows and where the boundaries sit.

Whether a divorce solicitor is needed usually depends on the complexity of the issues involved.

No. There is no automatic rule that assets are divided equally. While equal sharing is one possible outcome, the court works within a legal framework. It looks at specific factors, including income, housing needs, and the needs of any children.

Outcomes can vary, but they are not open-ended. This is why everything is not always split 50/50 in a divorce, even where both parties assume equality is the starting point.

Both parents usually retain parental responsibility after separation. However, the law focuses on the child’s welfare, rather than parental “rights”.

Parents are encouraged to agree on arrangements themselves, but those arrangements still need to support the child’s need for stability, care, and ongoing relationships. If agreement cannot be reached, the court can step in and apply established welfare principles.

Many families find workable arrangements with appropriate support, including those supported by Stowe Family Law’s family lawyers in Bath.

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