Clear, supportive guidance through one of life’s toughest challenges
Going through a divorce can be an emotional situation for all involved, especially when you and your ex-partner have been together for a considerable period of time and share children together.
If you do choose to make the decision to move forward with divorce proceedings, it’s crucial that you seek divorce legal advice from an acknowledged professional, particularly with the new 2022 no fault divorce law now in effect.
Our team at David W Harris always aim to provide a friendly and supportive divorce advice service across South Wales, tailored specifically to suit your circumstances. We have years of combined experience providing a bespoke service to all manner of clients and scenarios.
Our team of expert solicitors for divorce have extensive expertise in a range of matters, including:
- Drafting and applying for divorce proceedings
- Responding to divorce proceedings
- Divorce financial settlements
- Arrangements for children
Each of our Pontypridd, Swansea and Talbot Green offices are well-appointed with specialist divorce law solicitors, ready to provide supportive guidance throughout the divorce process, meaning we can offer a truly local, convenient service for our clients.
Our solicitors regularly deal with a range of divorce proceedings, from those more straightforward and amicable to proceedings more complex, including high net worth divorces.
Discuss your requirements with our divorce solicitors in Swansea, Pontypridd and Talbot Green
If you are unsure of the divorce process, we can answer any queries you may have. This ensures that you are making a fully informed decision.
To discuss your requirements, learn more about the process and receive specialist divorce advice, please use our simple online enquiry form to book a free initial chat with one of our local divorce solicitors in Pontypridd, Talbot Green and Swansea.
Common questions about no fault divorce
What is no fault divorce?
The new no fault divorce law came into effect on 6 April 2022 in England and Wales under the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020.
No fault divorce changes a number of aspects of the previous law that was set under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. Ultimately, it is no longer necessary to place blame on the respondent, allowing divorcing couples to amicably separate by making a joint application or sole application if required.
While no fault divorce simplifies the divorce process, it is still important to seek legal guidance from a specialist solicitor to assist with the financial settlements and arrangements for children where it is applicable to your situation.
What are the grounds for divorce?
There is only one ground for divorce, and that is the ‘irretrievable breakdown of the marriage’. Prior to the new divorce law in 2022, the sole ground for divorce had to be evidenced by one or more facts, but the statement of the irretrievable breakdown is now sufficient enough for the courts to grant a divorce.
Step by step guide to obtaining a divorce
When it comes to the process of obtaining a divorce, there are two different approaches depending on whether the application was joint or a sole application.
- Filing the divorce application – this step can be done as a sole or joint application, submitted online. The application will require a statement of irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.
- Service of the application (only applies to sole applications) – the court will send a copy of the divorce application to the other spouse, known as the respondent.
- Responding to the divorce application (only applies to sole applications) – the respondent will be required to acknowledge the application for divorce by sending an ‘acknowledge of service’ form back to the court. The respondent has 14 days to do this.
- Applying for Conditional Order – before the Conditional Order can be applied for, the applicant must wait 20 weeks once the court has issued the divorce application.
- Applying for Final Order – After the Conditional Order has been issued by the court, the applicant is required to wait an additional 6 weeks before they can apply for the final order.
Once the Final Order has been issued by the court, the marriage or civil partnership is finalised, and the parties are legally separated.
How long does no fault divorce take?
When you’re applying for a divorce, it’s highly likely that you want to be certain about the length of time it is expected to take for your divorce to be finalised. While each divorce does differ due to extended reasons for the divorce to be finalised, the proceedings will take a minimum of 26 weeks (6 months).
The minimum amount of time that is taken between the divorce application being issued by the court and when the applicant (previously petitioner) or joint applicants can apply for the Conditional Order (previously Decree Nisi) is 20 weeks. Once this has been granted by the court, the applicant or joint applications will need to wait a minimum of 6 weeks before they are allowed to apply for the Final Order (previously Decree Absolute).
Other aspects involved in the divorce process include the financial settlement and arrangements for children if necessary to your situation. These aspects can be sorted during the divorce process but can only be made legally binding once the Final Order has been granted by the court.
Arranging financial settlements and arrangements for children may take a considerably longer amount of time, especially where the involved parties cannot agree amicably and need to seek resolution through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) or court proceedings if more appropriate.
Our solicitors have considerable expertise in helping divorced spouses secure an arrangement that both parties are entirely satisfied with through the means of ADR, such as negotiation and mediation. Where court proceedings are more appropriate, we have a strong track record of securing the outcome our client desires.
How much does no fault divorce cost?
To apply for a divorce in England and Wales, the court application cost is £593.
There are also additional fees required on top of the court application fee. This includes the cost of the divorce solicitor you choose to work with for assistance in completing the divorce paperwork and other matters, such as the divorce financial settlement and arrangements for children, if applicable.
Who is responsible for paying for divorce?
Generally, the individual who made the divorce application is responsible for footing the divorce application fee. For example, if the divorce application was solely applied for, that individual would need to pay the court fee.
Where the applicant was jointly made, the joint applicants can choose to split the court fee between themselves.
Can a divorce application be challenged?
Under the previous divorce law, it was possible for the respondents to challenge the divorce application, but this option has been removed except in very limited circumstances, such as fraud, where the marriage was not legally valid or if you are already divorced.
Our divorce solicitors’ fees
At David W Harris, we charge our divorce fees on a fixed fee basis, which provides you with complete certainty over our fees from the outset.
For more information on our fixed fee packages, please see here.
Speak to our divorce solicitors in Swansea, Pontypridd and Talbot Green
To discuss your requirements and get specialist divorce advice in Pontypridd, Talbot Green and Swansea with our friendly, sensitive divorce solicitors, please get in touch with a member of our team.
Simply use our short online enquiry form to tell us that you would like to speak to one of our no fault divorce lawyers, and we will be in touch promptly.