News

Tuesday 7th December 2021

Thinking about divorce: why you need a solicitor.

No one likes to think about divorce when they get married, but it is a sad fact of life that 42 per cent of marriages in England and Wales fail, according to the most recent divorce statistics.

Divorce is nearly always traumatic, particularly if you and your partner are unable to communicate in a civilised fashion or if children are involved. Nick Dudman, a family law solicitor at Rundlewalker Solicitors in Exeter explains how legal advice can help alleviate some of the stress that comes alongside a divorce.

If you are considering divorce, you should always consult a specialist family law solicitor before you start the process. They can answer any questions you may have, outline your legal rights, responsibilities and entitlements and can explain what evidence you need to produce to prove that your marriage has irretrievably broken down.

If you cannot agree with your spouse whether to get divorced or how to divide your assets, our expert family law solicitors can get you access to alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation, to help you reach an agreement without having it imposed by the court.

They can make sure the divorce petition is filled out correctly, that all the supporting evidence required is in place, and all the paperwork is filed in the right location and within the required deadlines.

Your solicitor can talk to your ex-partner and their solicitor throughout the divorce process so that you do not have to. Your lawyer will abide by all your wishes and will follow your instructions while conducting any negotiations needed on your behalf.

They can help you decide what arrangements you should make for dividing your assets and will offer invaluable advice on the often serious implications of divorce on, for example, pensions and inheritance. Failing to obtain this advice before the divorce may cost you dearly later on.

Our solicitors are highly adept at identifying the types of ruse ex-partners sometimes employ to try to conceal their assets. They know the types of delays you may come up against during the process and how to deal with them, and can also look out for costs order applications and often negotiate these early on.

Deciding what happens to any children of your marriage can be a particularly emotive subject. Your solicitor can provide specialist advice to help you both decide where your children should live, when and where contact should happen, and who pays what for child maintenance.

Even if you and your spouse manage to come to an agreement on all the above issues, you may decide you want to make your agreement legally binding. Again your solicitor can help here by drafting a consent order in the correct manner which will merely need to be rubber-stamped by a court.

Contact us: 01392 209209
Please call us to discuss your legal situation and advise you of the options available to you.

For more information, call our Family Team on 01392 209209 or contact us via email at solutions@rundlewalker.com.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal or professional advice. Please note that the law may have changed since this article was published.