Coronavirus and your marriage – is now the time to divorce?
As the pandemic extends across the UK, those going through a divorce or considering divorce will no doubt have some questions about how divorce proceedings have been affected, and what they should do for the best. There will be a number of issues and hurdles to overcome in these very difficult times, but we are here to assist and guide you through these uncertain times.
If you are thinking about separating or commencing divorce proceedings
Some of you may be finding that you have more time on our hands than you have ever experienced before, and with no signs that the lockdown will be ending any time soon, the pressures being placed upon your family are untenable. Inevitably, this may lead to some people concluding that the time has now come to separate or commence divorce proceedings.
Often, the main concern for divorcing couples is how to deal with their finances. As we have already seen, coronavirus is having a significant impact on the property market and the financial markets. This means that what might have been available in the matrimonial pot a few months ago is now significantly less, and may continue to decrease. It can also mean that there are physical difficulties in terms of parties being unable to value the matrimonial home or move in to alternative accommodation. These are all factors upon which we can advise you on and help navigate you through. We are well equipped to continue advising you, via Skype meetings or telephone calls, so that we can address any queries you have in this regard. And the sooner you receive advice, the sooner you will have the answers to your queries and you will be able to see a way forward.
If you are already within divorce proceedings
The regional divorce centres continue to operate. Obviously, there have been some delays associated with remote working practices, but the wheels are still turning and divorce applications are still being processed. Therefore, whilst there may be some potential delays caused by the pandemic, we can still push ahead with your divorce. Similarly, if you find yourself within financial proceedings, the Courts have made it clear that the justice system will continue to operate and the remote hearings will be made available wherever possible. If not, we can explore alternative forms of dispute resolution for you. Such processes are designed to move the financial discussions away from the Court system and into a private system. This is something we have experience of dealing with and therefore can arrange on your behalf to ensure that you are able to move forward and resolve your divorce without any unnecessary delays.
We are here to help so please do not hesitate to get in contact with us and one of our expert team will assist in anyway we can.
This article does not necessarily deal with every important topic or cover every aspect of the topics with which it deals. It is not designed to provide legal or other advice. If you require specialist advice on this topic, please contact us to discuss how we may assist you.
