As long as you have been married for at least 12 months and your marriage has irretrievably broken down, you will likely be entitled to apply for a divorce. 

Our qualified divorce solicitors will always discuss with you reasons for the separation and the divorce process. 

If you do not meet the requirements to pursue a divorce, our expert solicitors will explore other options such as annulment or judicial separation. 

Yes, but they will only be successful in pursuing a defence if they can show to the court that the marriage has not irretrievably broken down. Statistics show that the vast majority of defended divorces are not successful, and a divorce is usually granted.

No, you do not need your spouse’s agreement to proceed with a divorce. 

The new law introduced on 6 April 2022 now also allows spouses to issue a joint application for divorce. 

We will always discuss the best options available to you to ensure your matter is dealt with swiftly and without delay.

An uncontested divorce usually takes between 6 – 9 months, minimum. However, it is always advisable to avoid obtaining the final order, which formally ends the marriage, until financial matters are agreed and approved by the court. This will likely lengthen the time to finalise the divorce. 

Divorce is dealt with by the courts either on paper or online. It is very rare that you will need to attend court. There are very few situations where you will need to attend court such as when there are issues with who pays the costs of divorce or if the divorce is defended by the respondent. 

The court will issue your spouse’s divorce application and send you a copy along with an Acknowledgment of Service form for you to complete and return to the court. 

The form is short and fairly straightforward. However, if you are unsure as to what you are signing or if you object to certain aspects of the application (e.g. a costs order), please do not hesitate to contact us to obtain advice from our expert divorce lawyers as to how best to complete the form. 

As long as the marriage ceremony followed the legal process in the country where you married and you meet the jurisdictional requirements, you will be entitled to pursue a divorce in England. 

Our experienced divorce solicitors can assess and advise on whether your marriage is considered a “legal” marriage and if you meet the requirements to pursue a divorce in England.