Divorce, Dissolution, and Separation Act 2020 – How to Settle Your Divorce Under Legal Legislations?

The result of your separation or divorce can have an enormous impact on the rest of your life. Alimony, child support, and assets will be addressed that may affect your cash flow, real-life balance, and other property settlements. Gaining prior knowledge will put you in a winning situation and help you craft relevant action plans and realistic goals.

Making a decision of ending your marriage can be overwhelming. The primary steps you take to resolve potential issues will play a significant part in how disputes will be managed and how you can move ahead in life. It is no secret that taking your relationship issues to the court, incurring financial expenses, and the emotional strain of a prolonged legal process with your partner can be stressful. That’s why you should consult solicitors in Hammersmith and Canary Wharf to attain a deep understanding of divorce law and keep your negotiations on the right track.

Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 – No More ‘Blame Game’

After a lot of campaigning, the Divorce, Dissolution, and Separation Bill received Royal Assent in June 2020, which means ‘no-fault divorce’ will be available as an option for divorcing couples from Autumn 2021. This is the biggest change in the divorce law that aims at mitigating the impact on allocate blame in divorce petitions.

The Current Law

You can have a divorce in England and Wales if you meet specific criteria, which include:

You have been married for a year.
Your relationship has broken down permanently.
Your marriage is legally recognised/documented in the UK.
The UK courts have the authority to deal with separation, based on residence and domicile.

How Divorce, Dissolution, and Separation Act 2020 will Change the Divorce Process?

The new law introduces the ‘no-fault divorce’ where the couples just have to give a statement that their relationship is broken down once and for all. There is no need to demonstrate reasons as proof of a breakdown.

Joint Application – The parties can make a joint application where they agree that the relationship has irretrievably broken down.
Objection – It will not be possible to contest the decision of separation, unless it is a case of fraud, coercion, etc.
Timeframes – There will be a minimum period of 20 weeks from the date of the petition to Decree Nisi and a further span of 6 weeks before applying the Decree Absolute.

4 Tips to Move Your Divorce Negotiations to the Right Direction

1. Control Your Emotions – Separation can be daunting when you’re struggling with certain matters like violence, parenting disputes, financial misconduct, and others. Keep yourself in the right frame of mind to gain the best outcome for a brighter life ahead.

2. Discuss with your Lawyer – Establish what you want and be honest about it with your legal practitioner to create a strong foundation for settlement.

3. Keep Your Children’s Best Interest at Priority – Disputed cases are likely to adversely impact parenting relationship, so don’t fight over insignificant problems to avoid harming your child.

4. Don’t Agree on Anything without Discussing with Your Lawyer – During negotiations, it is common to have private discussions with your spouse for resolving the matter. But be careful about what you are offering and discuss it first with a legal professional.

Should You Get Divorce Right Away or Wait?

Every person or couple has different relationship issues. The time will entirely depend on the aspects of each case as to whether you should better separate under the current law or wait for the new law to come into effect.

Practically, in most scenarios, the result will be the same under both existing or new legislation. When both parties wish to divorce and neither one is likely to contest it, then there is certainly no reason to wait.

How Summit Law LLP Can Help?

Since every divorce procedure is different. It is advised to seek expert assistance from our divorce solicitors in Canary Wharf and Hammersmith to take the best route in your specific circumstances. Our family and divorce lawyers carry extensive knowledge and background in this sphere and will ensure to reduce your burden with genuine advice and support throughout the process. Contact our specialized team of lawyers today!