Divorce Law Changes From 6th April 2022 – No Fault Divorce
Coming into effect on 6th April 2022, Family Law Solicitor and Mediator, Adrian Rose discusses the divorce law changes and the no-fault divorce….
Divorce Law Changes from April 2022
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 and “no fault” divorce will, finally, come into effect.
The Act aims to reduce the potential for conflict amongst divorcing couples by:
- removing the ability to make allegations about the conduct of a spouse
- allowing couples to end their marriage jointly
It will no longer be possible to contest a divorce, except on limited grounds including jurisdiction.
Couples must apply under the current law by 31st March 2022 or wait for the changes to come into force.
What Happens If You Are Already Getting Divorced?
If you have or your solicitor have started an application and still want to proceed, you will need to submit your application by 4pm on 31st March 2022.
Alternatively, you can wait until the new digital service is launched. If you still want to apply for a divorce, you can start your application again from 6th April 2022.
Should you have already started filling out a paper application form, you will need to make sure it is received by the court by 4pm 31st March 2022. If you are sending it in the post, you will need to make sure it reaches the court by that date.
Additional Information
Decree Nisi and Decree Absolute applications that have been issued will be unaffected.
If You Haven’t Started Your Application
If you’re happy to wait or there’s no urgency, you can wait until the new service is available from 6th April 2022.
Important Dates
- From 31st March 2022 you can no longer apply on the current paper or online or access a saved digital application which is yet to be issued (processed) by the court
- From 31st March to 5th April 2022 the digital service will not accept new applications
- As of the 6th April 2022 the new paper and digital services will be available
Urgent applications that need to be considered after the deadline (after 31st March but before the 6th April) will continue to be accepted, and issued where possible but only if received by the court by post or email, before 4pm on the 5th April.
How Can We Help?
If you have any questions regarding the changes to divorce, or any other family law matters, please don’t hesitate to contact me on 01332 364436 or via email at a.rose@timms-law.com. Alternatively, visit the family law page of our website here.
March 2022