The Divorce Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 is bringing an end to “fault based” divorce on April 6th.
Meaning that a divorce can be achieved with no blame being assigned to either party – hence the name ‘no-fault divorce’.
As part of the new law, joint applications for divorce are going to be introduced. In this article, Andy Stynes discusses the benefits of joint applications and outlines the process involved in applying.
Can both parties file for divorce?
Yes – under the Divorce Dissolution and Seperation Act 2020, both partners can apply for a divorce together.
This is known as a joint application.
(Single applications by one party will still be available).
What are the benefits of joint divorce applications?
Below we’ve listed some of the key benefits to joint divorce applications…
There’s no ‘shock factor’
Both parties will be well aware of the divorce from the outset.
Neither party will feel betrayed or taken by surprise, which can be the case in some sole applications.
Both spouses will be fully involved
Neither party will feel left out, taking joint responsibility.
Emotional preparation
The spouses can proceed when they both feel ready – allowing time for them both to emotionally prepare.
Once emotionally ready, the couple can move on to dealing with the specific factors involved such as children and finances in a much smoother fashion.
Emotions will therefore be less present and the divorce proceedings will likely be less traumatic.
How to get a divorce with a joint application