Lawyers at AN Law in Warrington are experts in all aspects of divorce. Getting a divorce simply means you are no longer married. This does not settle or resolve any financial matters between you and your spouse e.g. property/pensions. It is a common misconception that being divorced does resolves these types of matters. The short answer is that it does not.
We make no secret that you can apply for a divorce yourself online. There are downsides to this that we can help you with which include; that it does not include issues relating to children, finances (including emergency injunction proceedings).
It is always essential to ensure that you do not fall victim of not clicking the correct box on the petition which preserves your right to make a financial claim at a later date.
You often need help choosing the right ground for the divorce and drafting your statement of case in a way which reduces the risk of unnecessary finger pointing. Sometimes you may need help getting an official translation of the marriage certificate if you married abroad.
You need to know what to do when your spouse does not return the acknowledgment of service as this is a real problem. If they do not then further fees will be incurred such as making an application for deemed service, asking the court to dispense with service, instructing a process server to serve the petition upon your spouse personally all of which are circa £150 + VAT* which includes our time preparing court papers and instructing process servers.
You need to be careful when applying for decree absolute too early because you need to ensure your finances are sorted prior.
The current court fee is £550. Our fees are £500 + VAT. This quote is subject to your spouse returning the acknowledgement of service.
How long does it take?
Divorce Proceedings generally take around 6 months. In some instances, it can take up to 12 months. The financial proceedings, that run alongside the divorce proceedings, usually take much longer especially if there is a disagreement and it ends up proceeding to a final hearing.
What if my spouse and I already have an agreement regarding finances?
If you and your spouse have a worked-out agreement then financial matters can be dealt with just as quickly if not quicker than the divorce itself. Applying for a final financial order can only be done once the divorce is at Decree Nisi stage. Our usual charge for preparing consent orders are in the region of £600 + VAT plus a court fee of £50.
