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Our expert lawyers deal with all areas of family law, including:
- Divorce & separation
- Financial settlements
- Child arrangements
- Cohabitation disputes
- Domestic abuse protection
- Pre- & post-nuptial agreements
The divorce process
Application
One or both spouses submit a divorce application to the court using the HMCTS Portal, citing irretrievable breakdown of the marriage without assigning blame.
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20-week reflection period
After the application is filed, and your former spouse has responded to the petition, a mandatory 20-week reflection period begins. During this time, spouses may also exchange financial information using Form E and address any necessary child arrangements, including including the time your children spend with you both.
Conditional order
After the reflection period, the applicant(s) apply for a Conditional order (previously known as Decree Nisi). The court reviews the case and, if satisfied, grants the order.
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6-week waiting period
Following the Conditional order, there is a mandatory 6-week waiting period before the final step can be taken.
Final order
After the 6-week waiting period, the applicant(s) may apply for the Final Order (previously known as Decree Absolute), officially ending the marriage.
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Average 9-12 months
If more than 12 months have elapsed between obtaining your conditional order and applying for your final order, you will have to submit a short statement to support your application, explaining the delay.
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