Divorce Solicitors

Expert Divorce Lawyers

Our team of legal experts understand the stress that divorce entails. Combining this with our working knowledge of divorce law allows us to provide a high quality service to each of our clients no matter how complex the situation. We regularly deal with all aspects of divorce, separation of unmarried couples, dissolution of civil partnerships or nullity and judicial separation.

It is often difficult from the outset of the matter to provide an exact timescale of a divorce, although we can advise you on an estimate of the time involved and costs at the initial consultation. As leading divorce lawyers, we are able to provide you with carefully tailored advice on your situation through meticulous planning and discussion with you. Our divorce advice will involve advising you as to the prerequisites and conditions which would need to be addressed before ultimately obtaining a Decree Absolute.

No-fault Divorce

In the previous system, unless you stay separated for two-years, you have to show a reason for wanting to petition for a divorce from your spouse. However, following April 2022, it is now possible to have a divorce without putting the blame on your partner with a simpler process – you would be able to petition for a divorce by only stating that the marriage has broken down.

This application can be made as either joint or sole applicants and you will need to decide which choice is right for you.

How long does a divorce take?

Typically, the divorce process in England and Wales takes between four to six months. However, there are a number of factors which can impact the time it takes for a divorce to be finalised.

This includes:

• A lack of cooperation by one party
• Complicated financial matters
• Delays at divorce centres and family courts
• The number of hearings your matter requires

Unfortunately, as a result of COVID-19 the typical length of time it currently takes to get a divorce has increased quite substantially. The largest divorce centre in England and Wales (Bury St Edmunds) reported in 2020-2021, that it was taking 20 weeks for a consent order to go from initial application to being granted. This alone added significant lengths of time to the divorce process.

Uncontested divorces can be relatively straightforward. However, where you and your spouse struggle to resolve financial matters amicably, it can cause significant delays as it is advisable not to conclude a divorce before financial issues have been resolved.

Typically, where you have held the decree nisi for greater than 12 months without applying for decree absolute, you will have to provide a written explanation to the courts for why you did not apply within the 12-month period. If the court is not in agreement with the reasoning provided, you may need to restart your divorce application process. This would ultimately delay the process further, therefore it is essential that all work conducted is within the requisite timescales.

On average, ending a marriage and coming to a financial settlement takes approximately one year.

Do you offer a Fixed Fee service?

If you have agreed to separate from your spouse or civil partner and do not have any dispute over your assets and your child arrangement, then a fixed fee divorce would be an advisable option. Divorce without financial arrangements gives us an opportunity to offer a fixed fee, as the process is prescribed and follows a procedure for which we can provide a more definitive timescale.

If you want to petition for a divorce our fixed fee is £750.00 plus VAT. If your spouse has already sent a petition to you for a response our fixed fee is £350.00 plus VAT. These fees are solely for divorce petitions and do not include any financial or child arrangements.

Why choose us?

At Ansham White Solicitors, we pride our self on our customer focused approach. The founding Director, Shamim Ibrahim has 20+ years of experience in dealing with family law matters. Throughout this time, she has built up and trained a team of individuals whom maintain her high quality standard of work to ensue that our clients receive professional yet personable advice throughout their divorce.

Please call us today to arrange a consultation, our family team will be more than happy to help. We have offices based in North Harrow and the City of London which have nearby parking and good transport links. If you are calling from overseas or are unable to attend our office, we are able to conduct a video consultation via either Zoom or Microsoft Teams.