If your relationship has ended and you are still married but separated from your spouse, you need to be aware of the financial implications. You will be in a unique...
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There are some common misconceptions which often stop people from seeking legal advice when faced with divorce:
1. I can’t get a divorce – my spouse will never agree.
Getting the process started is always a big hurdle to jump, and can seem overwhelming, but worrying that your spouse won’t agree should not deter you. In most cases both parties realise deep down that the marriage is not working and whilst your spouse can make things difficult and delay matters they can’t do so indefinitely. There is no law that forces couples to stay together in cases where one party truly believes that a marriage has broken down.
2. I can’t afford a divorce – it will cost us more than we have.
Divorce is not cheap, but it is rarely unaffordable. Once your solicitor has a full picture of what is involved he or she should be able to give you an estimate as to how much legal work is likely to be needed and what your overall costs might be. If you have any concerns over your costs then raise these with your solicitor straightaway so that you can find a way of working within your budget or arrange suitable alternative funding. That way you will avoid being left with huge unexpected costs at the end of the process which you are simply unable to pay.
3. Divorce solicitors always want to go to court – things will turn nasty.
This is no longer true, although court processes can lend structure where agreement cannot be reached. In fact, most cases are sorted out without anyone having to go to court. At Sharp Family Law we focus on helping clients to resolve conflict through constructive dispute resolution methods such as mediation, collaborative process or more traditional solicitor-assisted negotiations, our primary aim always being to help clients reach solutions that work for themselves and their families.
