Yesterday, Wednesday 6th April 2022, the No-Fault divorce was introduced in UK law. Written specifically to remove fault blaming from divorce proceedings, it avoids unnecessary conflict for unhappy couples looking to separate.
Changes to divorce
With changes in the divorce process being few and far, the no-fault divorce law will seriously impact the divorce process in the UK. This area of family law has been unchanged for many years, which is why this particular change is so very influential.
Previously when couples sought out a divorce, they must claim the marriage breakdown was one of five facts:
- Adultery
- Unreasonable behaviour
- Desertion
- Separation for two years with both parties agreeing
- Separation for five years
Now with the no-fault law in place, the outcome of falling out of love or deciding to mutually separate is now officially recognised as a valid reason for divorce. Both individual and joint applications can be made too.
Myths about the no-fault divorce
It is important to understand that despite removing the blame, it is still expected that this divorce law will take the same amount of time as any other way of getting divorced. On average this can be between six to eight months, depending on other factors such as children and finances.
There is now a twenty-week waiting time as a period of reflection to work on any issues the relationship is facing from filing your divorce petition to being able to proceed with your application. It is not the quickie divorce or much cheaper as some may have hoped.
How can we help?
Charlie Crocker, our expert divorce and family solicitor said,
“No-fault divorce removes the need to apportion blame on the other party and allows divorcing couples to separate on the basis of their marriage having broken down irretrievably, setting the tone for amicable resolutions to financial and children matters. We can advise on how this new era of divorce will affect you and help you find an amicable solution to your separation.”
We are no-fault divorce lawyers in the UK, with offices in Plymouth, Tavistock, Torpoint and Kingsbridge.
Contact your local office in Devon for expert advice on how to move forward with your no-fault divorce.