A divorce for civil partners is called a dissolution. For the process to be successful, there has to be no hope of reconciliation so if you believe this to be the case, please get in touch. You may be able to cut the cost of a dissolution by opting for a fixed fee service – this may be right for you if you don’t think there will be any objections from your former partner.

Fixed Fee Dissolution as the Petitioner

Are you the petitioner? Is your partner likely to consent to the dissolution and its content? If so, you may wish to opt for the Fixed Fee Dissolution as the Petitioner service. If you think your partner may object to the dissolution, this doesn’t mean we cannot help you – simply get in touch so we can talk to you about what to do next. We can complete all the Court paperwork

Another happy client;

“I was very pleased with the service Amanda provided me. I found her open, honest and very approachable.  She made the difficult experience of divorce matters that bit easier to go through.  I would highly recommend her to anyone”

Mrs M

Women and Equalities Minister Maria Miller has announced that the first same sex weddings in England and Wales will be able to take place from Saturday 29 March 2014.

Following the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 successfully completing its journey through Parliament in July 2013, the first same sex weddings can now happen several months earlier than anticipated, subject to Parliament’s approval of various statutory instruments, to be laid in the new year.

Maria Miller said:

“Marriage is one of our most important institutions, and from 29 March 2014 it will be open to everyone, irrespective of whether they fall in love with someone of the same sex or opposite sex.

“This is just another step in the evolution of marriage and I know that many couples up and down the country will be hugely excited that they can now plan for their big day and demonstrate their love and commitment to each other by

According to the Office for National Statistics the provisional number of civil partnership dissolutions granted in England and Wales in 2012 was 794, an increase of 20% since 2011.

The average age of men forming a civil partnership in the UK in 2012 was 40 years, while for women the average age was 37.6 years. These figures represent a small decrease in average ages in comparison to 2011.

Figures from the Office for National Statistics also showed that same-sex female couples are more likely to dissolve civil partnerships than men.  This is borne out in divorce proceedings, with more women than men filing for divorce.

For advice on dissolution or divorce proceedings please contact Amanda Weaver on amandaweaver@newleafsolicitors.co.uk or 01788 555042.

On the 17th July 2013 The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Bill received royal assent and this means it has now become law.  It is predicted that the first same sex marriage will take place in summer 2014.

This legislation will introduce civil marriage for same sex couples, and enable religious organisations to opt in to conduct same sex marriages if they wish to do so.

The Act will also enable civil partners to convert their partnership to a marriage and would enable married transsexual people to gain legal recognition in their acquired gender without having to end their marriage. However this will follow later than summer 2014 as it will take government departments longer to implement all the necessary processes.

If you have any questions on a family law issue you can tweet @NewLeafSols on Thursday 13th June 2013 between 12-2pm where I will be available to answer any questions.  You can send me a direct message if you prefer to keep your question private and I will reply directly to you.

If you are thinking about divorce or separation an initial meeting to discuss your options can really help put your mind at ease.  You should know what options are available to you and what your potential claims regarding money will be so that when you and your partner or spouse discuss ending the relationship you will know what you are entitled to and how best to proceed.

We can see you outside of office hours, if you wish as we understand that you may not be able or want to take time off work during the day.  If you want an appointment at the weekend we can book you in.

We also have Skype so you can have a face to face meeting without the need to travel to our office.

Our office is in Rugby and we are ideally situated for clients who live in Daventry or Coventry or in the surrounding villages.

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From 1 April 2013 legal aid will no longer be available in divorce cases.  There are some exceptions such as there having been domestic violence but in the main those who would have previously been able to claim legal aid or Legal Help as it was called will no longer be able to do so.

For those people who are on a tight budget they face two options, they either act for themselves or they pay a solicitor to act for them.

The divorce process can be a minefield and you should always get legal advice on what your options are and what is best for you. The divorce petition may look like a simple document but one mistake could be a very costly one.  You may not be saving yourself money in the long run if you don’t seek advice at the outset.

We offer a budget friendly fixed fee service for a