Divorce Law
A divorce is rarely instigated without good reason; it often takes a heavy heart and often months, if not years, of frustration, stress and anguish in trying to make a relationship work before getting to this point, so whether you’re looking to start the divorce process, or whether you’ve received the divorce papers (divorce petition), you’ll need expert support that is delivered with sympathy and compassion to get you through this trying time.
The divorce process will likely be new to you and many aspects of it will feel alien, from the multitude of forms to complete, through to the archaic legal language that can often do more to provoke frustration, rather than offer clarity. It’s for this reason that we 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.
We can provide guidance on completing the divorce petition or on responding to it, all the way through to negotiating financial settlements and child custody (child arrangement orders). Our expert team is based in offices located on Northumberland Street (HD1) so we’re well placed to help you if you’re looking for divorce solicitors in Huddersfield.
Starting a divorce petition
Instigating the divorce process requires that you complete a divorce petition. When completing this, you will need to select the ‘grounds’ (reasons) for the divorce and the court will need to feel that these reasons are sufficient. It’s important that the grounds you select are fair, and reflective of your situation as it can save you time, money and in some cases make your spouse more likely to cooperate. Our divorce lawyers can provide support and guidance in completing this divorce petition to prevent delays and to give you the best chance of success.
Responding to a divorce petition
If you have been served with a divorce petition, and you’re the named respondent, it might not be clear how you should proceed so if you need some help, our Huddersfield divorce lawyers can guide you in responding to the divorce petition while providing an outline of what you can expect to happen next; preparing you to get the best outcome possible for you, and for your family.
Arrangements for children and child custody
Of all the arrangements that need to be made following the breakdown of any relationship, we often find that deciding on your arrangements for the children (which you may refer to as child custody but is now known as child arrangement orders) can be the most difficult and emotive step; it’s for this reason that child arrangements can become a contentious issue.
While it’s important that your views are represented and heard, it is often in the best interests of your children that an amicable agreement is reached with your ex-partner. It’s at times like these that having the support of a child law specialist can be helpful; they can provide guidance on what a fair and workable arrangement might look like for you and your family. Our Huddersfield child solicitors have extensive experience in children cases and have seen a variety of solutions to suit every case, 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.
Financial settlements in divorce
Every marriage is unique, and often this is reflected in your finances. Years of financial ties can be difficult to unravel, and can feel like an overwhelming task. In some cases, there may be complex financial issues that need to be ironed out; involving property, shares in businesses, trusts or assets overseas. Financial settlements (commonly known as divorce settlements) can cover everything from the family home, pensions, investments, through to assets you owned before you got married; so getting specialist financial and legal help is crucial if you’re looking to protect your assets while providing for your family once the divorce is finalised.
We’ve spent decades dealing with complex financial matters, including property and estates; as well as catering to clients with assets abroad and high net worth individuals, so if achieving a fair settlement while protecting your assets is important to you, our financial settlement lawyers and forensic accounting team can help.
Prenuptial agreements
Also known as a ‘prenup’, prenuptial agreements can be an awkward topic to broach, but they’re designed to protect the assets of both parties should the worst come to pass. Our prenup lawyers can help you to understand what can, and cannot, be included in a prenuptial agreement and any impact this may have for the management of your finances and overall estate. If you have complex financial affairs that you would like to see protected with a prenuptial agreement, book in a consultation with our expert team today.
Civil partnership dissolution
Ending a civil partnership takes a heavy emotional toll. While some people are familiar with the concept of divorce, comparatively, the path to dissolving a civil partnership can seem much less clear.
Known as dissolution, this path to dissolving a civil partnership can only be instigated after you’ve been in the partnership for a year. 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 and the arrangements for your children. The key difference between divorce and dissolution is that you cannot use ‘adultery’ as your grounds for dissolution, any behaviour of this kind must instead fall under ‘unreasonable behaviour’. To help you through the dissolution process, our civil partnership solicitors can provide practical guidance and support to help you to achieve your desired outcome.
Why choose Stowe Family Law solicitors in Huddersfield?
Our expert family law solicitors have decades of experience, as well as access to hundreds of years of expertise from our teams across the country. We’re the UK’s largest family law specialist, delivering tailored service and expertise, locally to you.
Our client-centric approach has seen us recognised by the Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners for our commitment to outstanding client service and client success.
We understand that amicable resolutions lead to the best outcomes, where positive relationships persist long after your need for us has ended, so our Huddersfield lawyers are members of Resolution; a body of family lawyers committed to promoting a constructive approach to dispute resolution that focuses on meeting the needs of the whole family and achieving a positive outcome.
Clients frequently cite our compassion, empathy and our ability to deliver the ‘hard facts’ and clear guidance they need to move forward with their case, and their lives. To hear more about what our clients think about us and our approach, watch our video here.
