If perhaps you are beginning to feel as though divorce may be the only way to solve your marriage issues, it is crucial you learn a little more about what ‘getting divorced’ will involve. It’s always a good idea to speak to a professional, and our Divorce Solicitors in Birmingham will be able to offer the help and advice you need, however here is some general information that may be useful.
Grounds For Getting Divorced
Despite the fact that many people might assume that anyone who is married can get a divorce, throughout England and Wales there are a variety of requirements which will have to be met. First of all, you have to have been married for longer than 1 year, and then you need to demonstrate that your relationship has failed for one of the following reasons:
- Desertion
- Unreasonable behaviour
- Separation for 2 years
- Separation for 5 years
- Infidelity
How Long Does It Take?
Every single divorce is different. Some involve children, while others don’t; and some may be quite amicable, whilst others may be fiercely contested. There’s no fixed time period for how long it will be until you are granted your Decree Absolute – the best case scenario may be a month or two, although some divorce processes can take years.
Costs
Whilst there will be standard fees charged by the courts for processing your divorce case, a large percentage of your legal costs are going to be accounted for by your divorce solicitor’s costs. These are going to vary depending on length of time it takes to arrive at a settlement, how complicated your case is going to be plus the fees charged by your lawyer. Although solicitors’ fees can vary this should not be the key criteria for selecting your legal representation. It’s much more important to employ a solicitor that’s best suited to handling your specific circumstances.
Divorce Alternatives
Separation could be a more appropriate alternative to divorce and one that leaves you with options for the future. If you decide this is the best way forward, according to your situation, it can certainly be a good idea to formalise a number of aspects of the separation. If you have kids then custody arrangements can be drafted, plus some kind of financial arrangement might be helpful.
When you find yourself dealing with a divorce or any other Family Law matter you’ll need to get the best advice available. Our Family Law Solicitors Birmingham office will offer the help and support you need and have a range of services to accommodate most budgets.