Family Law Solicitor
Experienced family law solicitor near Weston-super-Mare and Bristol for advice and assistance with most family law issues, including divorce and separation, financial arrangements on divorce and relationship breakdown, drafting and applying for a financial consent order and advising on disputes about the division of property on relationship breakdown.
What our clients say
'We are really pleased to hear this news. Thank you for the work you have put in. Many thanks for your excellent and prompt service. Thank you so much for sorting this out. Thank you very much for your support and professionalism.'
L, Weston-super-Mare
“Thank you for all your time and effort in acting for me in the matter of my divorce and ancillary matters."
CH, Bristol
"Brilliant 😊thank you so much😊"
J, Congresbury
“Thank you for all your help and kindness and also your patience.”
Lawyer & family solicitor
If you are applying for a Financial Consent Order /Financial Remedy Order, negotiating a financial settlement, or stuck with your divorce financial arrangements, I am able to offer you Legal Advice so you can achive what you are looking for. Legal advice on all financial aspects of separation, divorce, and relationship breakdown. Applying for a Financial Consent Order /Financial Remedy Order. Reaching a financial settlement on divorce or separation.
Also implementing an agreement reached between you, for instance by drafting the Land Registry transfer TR1 form for a transfer of equity in your family home. Please contact me if you need a Bristol solicitor or law firm that specializes in legal services related to family law in Bristol, Weston-super-Mare or a solicitor in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset.
Application for divorce or judicial separation
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act came into force on 6 April 2022. The ground for divorce is the same, that a marriage has broken down irretrievably. The change in divorce law was that particulars of behaviour or adultery or citing some other fact for a divorce are no longer required.)
The new divorce law can make it easier in some circumstances to apply for a divorce.
The new divorce law is far from being a “quickie” divorce and the timescale of 26 weeks in some cases does mean that getting a divorce takes longer now than under the 'fault-based' divorce procedure.
There is no saving in costs with the new divorce application as the court fee to apply for a divorce remains the same at £593. (Unless you are entitled to a fee exemption or reduction in the fee on divorce.)
According to government statistics, 22% of the divorce applications under the new law were made by joint parties so there is quite a low take-up for joint applications for divorce. A reduced court fee on divorce for joint applications for divorce is something the government could consider.
The online divorce process does not automatically consider your financial rights and therefore it is essential to obtain expert advice on the financial aspects ancillary to your divorce and about a financial settlement that is being discussed. I can help you reach an agreement, refer you to and/ or advise you about family mediation, or prepare and apply for a Financial Consent Order to the Family Court if you can agree matters between yourselves.
I can help with initial legal advice in Family Court cases and about financial claims on divorce.
If you would prefer to regularise your separation without actually divorcing there are two options available, judicial separation and/or a separation agreement.
Judicial separation involves you applying to a court to legally separate from your husband or wife without getting divorce. The court procedure is virtually identical to that which applies to a divorce. The essential difference is that the court pronounces a decree of judicial separation rather than a divorce and therefore you and your spouse would remain married. The main reasons people might choose judicial separation over divorce is if death benefits or other financial prospects are lost on divorce. You may also want a legal separation if you’ve been married for less than a year or for religious reasons.
Getting a legal separation is cheaper than a divorce as the court fee is £365 rather than £593.
Separation agreement, some couples prefer to reach an agreement about financial matters arising out of their separation without involving the court at all and so that the divorce financial arrangements are dealt with on a private basis. The way this can be achieved is for them to sign a separation agreement which incorporates the agreement they have reached. Commonly, separation agreements deal with confirmation that the parties to the marriage are to live apart and the manner in which any maintenance and property issues are to be dealt with. Whilst there are no restrictions on what can or cannot be included in such an agreement, it is important to bear in mind that if either person makes a subsequent financial application to the court, the court is not bound by the financial arrangements in a separation agreement.
I am a solicitor and provide a full range of services in family law locally in the Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon and Bristol areas and throughout England.