As of today’s date, no-fault divorce has been introduced. This means that the current law will change and from hereon in there will only be one ground for divorce, which cannot be contested. This has been implemented alongside a number of other new divorce laws which will transform the way in which couples can navigate this difficult process.
The previous process for making a divorce application involved having to rely on one of five facts to support a petition for divorce. Those involved having to wait for a period of two years or more for a non-fault based petition, or having to blame the other party for the breakdown of the marriage on the basis of their adultery or unreasonable behaviour. In some scenarios, there would be no way of choosing a neutral ground for divorce and being able to proceed without waiting a number of years. It is hoped that no-fault divorce will alleviate this pressure, meaning that the divorce process can begin with far less animosity than before.
Along with the no-fault divorce, there is now the option for joint divorce applications for the divorce proceedings, minimising costs and allowing a more streamlined process for all involved. These new laws will hopefully allow for a less contested and a less costly process.
At Goodman Ray, we embrace these long-needed changes and will do all we can for our clients to ensure that this process can run as smoothly as possible. We hope that no-fault divorce will better complement the more amicable forms of non-court dispute resolution that we offer at Goodman Ray, such as mediation and collaborative law.
If you have any questions about the new divorce laws then please do not hesitate to contact us.
6 April 2022
