Divorce / Dissolution
Clear advice on ending a marriage or civil partnership, aligning child arrangements, finances, and protective measures.
Facts for ending a divorce or civil partnership
To obtain a divorce or dissolution, you must show the court that the relationship has irretrievably broken down. For civil partnerships or same-sex marriages, a sexual relationship outside the relationship with a partner of the same sex is not recognised as adultery (the law defines adultery as intercourse between two people of the opposite sex who are not married or in a civil partnership).
You can get divorced in England or Wales if: you have been married for over a year; the relationship has permanently broken down; and your marriage is legally recognised in the UK (including same-sex marriage).
No-fault divorce or dissolution
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 introduced the modern no-fault regime. A statement of irretrievable breakdown—by one party or jointly—is sufficient; there is no need to allege behaviour or infidelity. Applications cannot be contested on the merits of the breakdown.
Under the new timeline, a conditional divorce or dissolution order can be granted 20 weeks after proceedings start, with the final order available six weeks later. These replace decree nisi and decree absolute to simplify the process.
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