A divorce typically has 3 key parts. #1 – The end of the marriage A marriage is almost like a contract between two people. The very definition of a divorce is the ending of that marriage contract. Since April 2022, many people complete this part of the overall divorce process themselves. They are able to...
Here at littlebitsoflaw, we separate Family Law – which can be a vast area of law – into two smaller parts. Namely, Divorce Law and Child Law. For the purposes of this article though, let’s use the more traditionally used ‘Family Law’. Sometimes, choosing a Family Law Solicitor can be difficult. We urge anyone who...
The quick answer is simply: “no, you do not need a Solicitor to get divorced in the UK”. For a bit more detail, read on.. There is no legal requirement to be represented by a Solicitor during the process of a Divorce. This is especially true since April 2022. Before April 2022, someone wanting a...
To become a Solicitor, a person needs to complete a Law degree, a Post-Graduate degree and years of experience before they are admitted onto the ‘roll’ of Solicitors. Once they are, the norm is to look at how many years they’ve been qualified for as a way of assessing their experience. This is known as...
Legal Aid is the use of public money to help pay for legal advice, family mediation and court representation. In order to receive Legal Aid in nearly all Divorce and Child Law cases, you need to be financially eligible. The government website can help you find out if you can receive legal aid: www.gov.uk/check-legal-aid As...
If agreement cannot be reached between the divorcing partners directly or via mediation, then court action can be started by either. The process involves both partners submitting a great deal of information about their financial position and supporting documentary evidence. The court process can be quite difficult and lengthy and can involve completing various documents...
Another question we often get is: “Do I need a Court document to rubber-stamp any agreement I reach with my partner?” If a financial agreement is reached between a couple, either with or without mediation, then normally that agreement is prepared as a draft Court Order by a solicitor (and not the mediator). Once the...
Mediation is where the divorcing couple discuss how their assets (property, savings and more) will be divided alongside a trained mediator. Mediation can also be used to try and find an agreement about child arrangements, if nothing has been agreed. The mediator’s role is to help the couple reach agreement. We recommend mediation in most...
A regular question we get asked is: “Can my partner and I just agree how Finances and Property are split without spending money on solicitors?” My answer generally is: Yes, but please be careful. We understand that lots of people want to deal with finances and properties with minimal fuss (and minimal money spent on solicitors)....
For many, a huge worry is what their financial position will look like before, during and after their divorce. The most common question we get therefore is: “what am I entitled to?” Unfortunately, the answer is “it all depends”. Let me explain: Many people fear that whoever contributed more money to the marriage will get...
