Divorce lawyers & divorce solicitors

If it is the first time you have separated from a partner or entered into divorce proceedings, your first thoughts might first leap to the possibility of court and all the potential costs and stress that could involve. Especially when the situation is tense and people are angry, the legal route seems the only option. This is simply not the case, and very often it is not your best route to an outcome.

Together with around 6,500 other family lawyers and professionals, we are members of an organisation called Resolution. Resolution members are committed to resolving family disputes in a constructive way and we follow a Code of Practice that promotes a non-confrontational approach to family problems. Resolution encourages solutions that consider the needs of the whole family and are particularly focused on the best interests of the children involved.

Today, more than four out of five divorce cases will not end up in court. Indeed, the family law courts actively encourage people to resolve issues in a non-confrontational way. Mediation is one a number of methods for reaching an out-of-court agreement in family matters, and we recommend you consider it if you want to:

• reduce time and cost
• avoid the stress of going to court
• help to avoid rifts developing between the parties
• benefit future communication and relationships

At Belderbos Solicitors, our highly experienced and qualified team are specialists in helping you to avoid court and complete a divorce or separation without the cost, stress and confrontation. Mediation might just be the best answer for you.

Mediation works well in a variety of circumstances. We can help you to avoid a courtroom if you’re facing any of the following situations:

Concerned about difficulties in your relationship

You may want our advice when you are experiencing difficulties in your relationship. Relationships can be strained for all sorts of reasons, such as financial matters, children leaving home, issues with your wider family or simply that your feelings for each other have changed.

In the initial stages, we caution against any formal involvement and instead guide you to the appropriate people who may be able to help, such as Relate. Often we see clients at this stage who just want an overview of the legal aspects of separation, and a short meeting with us may help to address that.

Of course, the situation may have developed beyond that and you want advice on how to move on from where you are currently. Whatever your concerns about your relationship, you can talk to us in confidence and get professional advice on the options open to you.

Considering Divorce

You must apply to the family court for a decree absolute to end your marriage, but you needn’t spend more valuable time and money on court over and above the necessary admin. At the same time, the ‘no fault divorce’ legislation introduced in 2022 has made it quicker and easier to file for and complete divorce proceedings, and the new rules encourage a non-confrontational resolution.

If you are looking for a more dignified divorce, where all parties meet to find a mutually agreeable outcome, the collaborative law process could be for you. As a specialist in this area, we can tell you more about the process and the benefits for both you and your family.

Wanting to ensure continued contact with your children

Contact with children can break down as a result of separation and/or divorce. Or, you may already be separated and have enjoyed regular contact so far but this has now faltered. Issues with children when parents split up can be traumatic and often the court feels like the only option. Our advice is that there are achievable alternatives outside of a courthouse.

We will listen to you and work with you and your ex-partner to calmly explore every avenue for a resolution that doesn’t require the law courts’ involvement.

Of course, if an out-of-court solution isn’t possible, we can advise you about the steps that can be taken.

Supporting a family member through divorce

You may have a family member going through a divorce and you want to understand more about it and how you can best support them. You might be worried about how it will impact on them and on the family. Whatever your questions and your role, we have extensive experience to help you and perhaps put your mind at ease.

Whatever you are facing, start with us

With our calm, knowledgeable advice, you will have answers that help you to make informed decisions, without worrying about things unnecessarily. We’ll use our experience to tailor a solution that works hard to achieve the best outcome for you and your family.

We have talked here about some of the situations we can help you with to resolve outside of court. Mediation is only one of a number of ways to address them.

We can also help you with arbitration, collaborative law, private financial dispute resolution and early neutral evaluation. Considering all the options together can feel overwhelming. Our team will give clarity and peace of mind that you are choosing the right approach.

It is important to remember that you usually have no choice but to at least consider mediation before making a court order application. In this country, a judge or magistrate will ask you to attend a meeting about mediation before you apply to a family law court. This is called a mediation information and assessment meeting (MIAM) and is compulsory in most cases, with notable exceptions, such as domestic abuse.

This initial meeting is with a specially qualified family mediator who will help you to consider whether your issues can be resolved without a court hearing. Belderbos Solicitors offers family mediation services for couples, including the MIAM and subsequent mediation meetings, if you want to explore further an out-of-court agreement.