Divorce law
We understand that every situation is unique, and our approachable team is dedicated to offering clear, specific advice that meets your individual needs. With extensive knowledge of divorce and separation rights, we prioritise your circumstances and are here to listen and guide you through this challenging time.
Divorce law & separation legal advice
Our specialist divorce solicitors look after clients across Sussex, with offices in Brighton, Chichester, Crawley, Eastbourne, East Grinstead, Lewes, Peacehaven, Seaford and Storrington, as well as London.
Legal help for divorce – where to start
If you are thinking about getting a divorce, it’s important to know what is required by law to start this process and make an informed decision as to whether divorce is right for you.
No Fault Divorce
A recent change to the law has aimed to make divorce a less acrimonious process by allowing people to apply for a divorce without apportioning any blame to either party. This is called a No Fault Divorce.
The change was introduced by the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act in April 2022 and now means that either one party, or both parties on a joint basis, can start divorce proceedings without the need to apportion blame or even give a reason for the divorce. People applying for a divorce can now simply state that the marriage has broken down irretrievably, and this does not need to be proven.
The new law stipulates that there must be a “reflection period” of 20 weeks once you apply for a divorce, before an application for a conditional order can be made..
What you need to consider before applying for a divorce
With the new law in place there are some other key considerations you should make before applying for a divorce.
1. The type of application – joint or sole application
You will need to choose whether to make a joint application with your spouse or whether you want to apply on your own. You can make a joint application if these two things both apply:
- You both agree that you should get a divorce
- You are not at risk of domestic abuse
If you decide to make a joint application, you will also need to decide if you want to apply online or by post, as both parties have to use the same application method.
With a joint divorce application, you will both have to separately confirm, at each stage of the process, that you want to continue. If your spouse stops responding at any time, you will be able to continue with your divorce application as a sole applicant.
2. Decisions about arrangements for children, money and property
These will most likely be difficult choices to make, but before applying for a divorce, you and your spouse may want to discuss:
- Child arrangements, including any child maintenance payments – see our advice on Children’s Law
- How to divide your money and property – see our advice on Finances
Contact our divorce law solicitors today
At Mayo Wynne Baxter, our divorce solicitors are here to help you. For more details of the exact process of getting a divorce, see our step-by-step guide which can be found here. If you’d like personalised divorce legal advice or if you have any questions, contact our family law team at Mayo Wynne Baxter.
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Why work with Mayo Wynne Baxter
We are a family law firm that prioritises client care and provides legal expertise. We offer a wide range of services to handle complex family matters.
- Personalised and compassionate approach
- Experienced team of family law solicitors
- Strong focus on client satisfaction and accessibility
- We provide personalised advice and support throughout the whole legal process
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Divorce Law FAQs
A divorce is a legal process that formally ends a marriage. The overall aim of the divorce process is to resolve issues fairly and amicably, allowing both parties to move on with their lives.
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- Once you have completed the contact form or called us, our client service team will call you back, to ask a few questions including your preferred method of contact. This information is then passed directly to the Legal Adviser who will be working for you. Once you are happy to proceed we will gather all the relevant information and your file will be opened almost immediately so we can start work.
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Our aim is to make the process as easy and uncomplicated as possible for you.