New Year, New You?

The New Year regularly comes with a fresh mindset and a lengthy list of goals.

For years January has been unofficially labelled as ‘Divorce Month’. It is very common for couples to park any decisions and discussions regarding separation until the New Year as many want to work on things over the Christmas period.  

Separation and divorce can be an extremely difficult time for individuals and their families. Many find the thought of separation an overwhelming and isolating process. We strive to remove any pressure and worry from our clients and ensure they are fully informed as to the process and any financial entitlements they may have. It is extremely important that individuals seek independent legal advice regarding their separation and the division of the matrimonial assets to ensure any settlements are fair and reasonable.

In Northern Ireland, there are five grounds available for divorce. Over the past 10 years, the most common pleaded ground has been 2 years separation with the Respondent’s consent. The most common ‘fault-based’ ground pleaded has been the Respondent’s unreasonable behaviour. In any event, the Court must be satisfied that the marriage has irretrievably broken down and there is no prospect of reconciliation.

For couples to consider divorce, regardless of the ground pleaded, they must be married for at least 2 years. According to the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, for the past 3 years, the most common duration of marriage that resulted in divorce was between 10-14 years. 

Our Family Department appreciate this difficult time for families and will endeavour to ensure the process is as straightforward and worry free as possible. Fortunately, many divorce hearings are continuing to take place remotely via Sightlink which tends to alleviate the worry of Court proceedings on clients.

Should you have any concerns or queries regarding the divorce procedure or the options available to you, please do not hesitate to contact our experienced matrimonial team at [email protected] or via phone at 028 9181 1538.