Ministers announced on Monday that the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 will come into force on 6th April 2022.
The bill allows couples to divorce or dissolve their civil partnership without assigning blame, a process that is commonly referred to as ‘no fault divorce’.
What is no fault divorce?
My colleague Louisa Knight explained what the bill will mean for separating couples in her article written when the bill was announced, which you can read here.
When will no fault divorce become law?
No fault divorce will become law on 6th April 2022. The date is later than intended in order to allow time for changes to IT systems for online divorce.
The previous target date for implementation, discussed in my colleague Simon’s article, was autumn 2021. This new date of April 6th 2022 is a matter of parliamentary record.
Nigel Shepherd, the former Chair of Resolution, said:
“Whilst any delay is disappointing, we do now have certainty over the introduction of this important reform, and will be able to advise clients accordingly.”
No fault divorce: A family solicitor’s view
Amy Langlois, solicitor in Frettens’ family law team, on the confirmation of the no fault divorce date:
“I am delighted there is a set date. This welcome news will hopefully mean a much more amicable process for all parties involved in the future, especially for families where children are concerned.
Where possible, we aim to settle divorces and separations amicably. Where blame has to be assigned, this can often get in the way of that, leading to an acrimonious process that does little good for those involved, especially the children.”
Click here to read the full article.