DIY divorce and the pitfalls

Separated spouses are increasingly taking advantage of the on-line service provided by the Family Courts, which is not yet available nationwide, but will soon be coming to your area.

For a number of years spouses have also been able to download the forms for a DIY divorce and when the circumstances are straightforward, this can work successfully.

It is always desirable to save on legal costs where possible and handling your own divorce proceedings can be a sensible way to achieve this.   But if there is any legal complexity that you are unsure about, don’t plough on regardless and see if you can get it past the Family Court.   It could end up with you having to pay extra court fees and taking twice as long if there is a technical hitch and paying for some legal advice in the early stages would have been worth it.

It is also very important to understand the significance of applying for financial remedy provisions in the Petition.  This does not mean you will be starting court proceedings for finances, but it could be vital for the future if such a step becomes unavoidable, that you have put down your marker at the early stages in your divorce petition.

Divorce is hopefully a one-off experience for most people – make sure you get it right and invest in a family law specialist.

Monday, August 12th, 2019 Divorce, Marriage Breakdown