The news today is full of the announcement that actress Gwyneth Paltrow and her husband of over ten years Chris Martin, from Coldplay, are going to divorce; or as they put it, that there will be ‘a conscious uncoupling’. Everyone is trying to figure out just what this means. The BBC says the phrase is the title […]
There are certain protocols that the court expects to be observed as you start the divorce process. When you instruct a solicitor to issue divorce proceedings, one of the first things that will happen is that they will contact your ex-partner or their solicitor, to advise them of your intention to issue a petition for […]
The news is always full of celebrities getting divorced. Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones; Charles Saatchi and Nigella Lawson; Orlando Bloom and Miranda Kerr… the list goes on. Showbiz gossip always includes the staggering amounts of money involved – the multi-million pound assets, with pictures of sumptuous houses and glamorous cars, and stories of lavish […]
Even when you know that your marriage is over, it can be a huge step to contact a solicitor to start divorce proceedings. Picking up the phone, dialling the number – it might seem as though you’re setting in motion an unstoppable process. Don’t worry, in reality it’s not like that. When you call the […]
Divorce and financial remedy proceedings go hand in hand as couples who are going their separate ways try to divide up their assets. But finalising your divorce does not mean that your partner can no longer make any financial claim against you. Nor does receiving your decree absolute bring any existing financial process to an […]
When the court issues an order for financial remedy, there is a legal obligation to follow the direction of the order. If you – or your ex-partner – do not do so, you are in contempt of court. That means committal proceedings can be brought against you and you might end up going to prison […]
A report on matrimonial property, needs and agreements has just been published by the Law Commission. Do you have a pre-nuptial agreement? Are you thinking of making one? What are the implications for you? First of all, the report is a series of recommendations; it does not mean that they will necessarily be adopted or […]
You’d think it was obvious: your marriage lasts from your wedding day until the day your decree absolute is granted, right? In the eyes of the court, not necessarily. If you weren’t living with your partner beforehand, then your marriage starts on the date of your wedding. But if you were already living together, and […]
When dividing up possessions formerly shared between you and your partner, the court distinguishes between matrimonial and non-matrimonial assets. As we have seen in Parts one and two, these are not separate groups. They fall along a spectrum of ownership, from things that you have acquired over the course of your relationship and have always […]
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