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Quickest Ways to Get a UK Divorce

 

Marriage ought to last forever. Two people who are devoted to each other spending the rest of their lives together. But real life doesn’t always work like that and sometimes two people who were seemingly meant for each other must go their separate ways. “Divorce” isn’t a particularly nice word, but in situations like this it often becomes inevitable. Divorce can be a messy and lengthy process and if you are going through one, you will naturally want it to be as speedy as possible. What can you do to make this a reality?

Following the introduction of the No-fault divorce in both England and Wales, the minimum amount of time that a divorce process can last for is six months. This extends to between six and twelve months if you have applied for a consent order to formalise any financial settlements you make. In order to start a divorce process, you need to have been married for at least twelve months.

If your marriage has been shorter than this, it is possible to draft your divorce application and have it ready to send, but the twelve-month minimum must be passed in order for the processing to begin. Be under no illusions that the divorce process is a quick one. You will have to find ways of dividing your personal assets and save enough money to pay for the court fees. However, there are some steps you can take to ensure the process goes as quickly and as smoothly as it can.

The most important point is to make sure you are emotionally prepared for the divorce process. This is the biggest determining factor in how long it will last for. If you and your spouse are both sufficiently prepared emotionally, this will ensure a quicker and more amicable divorce. Be sure to take time to put your emotions in check and make sure you treat the divorce process as a professional business matter and not an emotional one.

Since both of you must be prepared emotionally, do not try to hurry or otherwise put pressure on your spouse. Both of you need time to adjust to the fact your lives are changing in a significant way. You must both be in agreement on the reasons for your divorce as any disputes in this area will only result in delays.

The second thing you will need to do is work out any arrangements you will need regarding your finances or if you and your spouse have children as soon as possible. It is typically these two areas that take up the most time during a divorce process. If you can agree on these things prior to applying for a divorce, it will save a considerable amount of time. If not, make a list of your finances and assets and decide between you what will happen to them in the future.

Deciding where your children will live and who will be in charge of their care or working out visiting arrangements can be tough both practically and emotionally. If needs be, you can seek the advice and support of a divorce coach. An uncontested divorce not only makes significant savings on time but in costs as well and causes much less stress, frustration and anxiety to all concerned parties.

When it comes to filling in the divorce application, you and your spouse will first have to decide whether one of you will file solely or whether you will opt for a joint application. Be sure to have all relevant documentation to hand, including your marriage certificate and an address for your spouse if you are no longer living together.

If you are taking out a sole application, try to persuade your spouse to send back the acknowledgement of service form supplied by the court without delay. Doing so will likely prevent a significant delay. Your marriage certificate is a vitally important piece of documentation to have when filling out your divorce application. If you were married abroad, you may need to have it translated into English. Do this without delay to further streamline the amount of time your divorce process will take.

Choosing the right court in which to file your application will also be very important. Try to find out how often judges at your local court review divorce applications. Doing so will give you a fair indication of how long you should expect to wait for your application to be processed. Depending on how quickly you want your divorce to be processed, you may find it worthwhile to travel a short distance to find a court that is ideal for you. However, do strongly consider a local court as you will in all probability be required to attend a hearing.

If your spouse decides to contest the divorce, finding a suitable divorce lawyer for representation can also have a bearing on how quickly your divorce is processed. Look for a firm that can adapt to every case they are presented with and if in doubt, be sure to read any testimonials that are available.

Many misunderstandings persist about the length of time in which you can get divorced. There is no particular route or fee that will speed up your divorce and the length of time it will take will generally depend on any complications you will encounter during the process. If you live in England and Wales and you come across a service claiming to help you finalise your divorce in under twelve weeks, be aware that it is not possible.

Hopefully, you will never find yourself in the position of seeking a divorce. If you do, bear in mind there are ways of ensuring your divorce process is not dragged out unnecessarily, thus saving you much stress, anxiety and hassle.

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