The no-fault divorce law came into effect in April 2022, and more than a year later, thousands of couples have been through the new process and are now moving on with their lives. It has proven to be a successful change in divorce law and means that couples can now divorce amicably without having to blame one another for the breakdown of their marriage. Previously, divorces required proof of adultery, examples of unreasonable behaviour or separate living for two to five years before the courts would allow couples to officially separate. Many marriages often come to an end, not because of adultery, big disputes, arguments or confrontations but rather because the couple grew apart, no longer have anything in common or simply fell out of love with one another. A no-fault divorce system accepts that this is a normal part of life and approves this as a ground for separation.
Speak to our team of divorce solicitors in Guildford at Prentice Family Law if you have decided that your marriage has broken down. Deciding to get divorced may have been a mutual agreement or your sole decision, and we can make either a joint or sole application, depending on your circumstances.
Our divorce solicitors in Guildford understand that going through the divorce process can be one of the most difficult times in your life; this can especially affect any of your children. Therefore, at Prentice Family Law, our team of solicitors is here to offer our support to everyone involved, and we will strive to make the process as simple and easy for you as possible.
The application process
Once the application has been submitted, you will need to make a payment of £593. The application will then be processed, and if it is a sole application, your partner will be notified and given 14 days to respond. A no-fault divorce cannot be contested. If your partner does not respond or return the paperwork, then you will have to get divorce papers served to them; however, if they do agree, then you have to wait 20 weeks from the date of your application to apply for a conditional divorce order. Our divorce solicitors in Guildford can make sure that you carry out each part of the process at the right time so that there are no issues with your application and no unnecessary delays either. This will be the perfect time to make sure that you are happy with your decision and plan any arrangements for the future; this includes agreements regarding all legal issues.
After you have applied for the conditional order, you will have to wait 6 weeks until you receive your final divorce order, which means that you are no longer legally married and you are free to remarry. With the help of our divorce solicitors in Guildford at Prentice Family Law, you can be officially divorced within just over six months; however, we estimate that the process often takes between 8 and 12 months in most cases.