Specialist Family Law Solicitors covering the Ringwood and New Forest area
Do you live in the Ringwood, Verwood or New Forest area? Is your marriage, civil partnership or relationship breaking up and you need expert legal advice on divorce or any other aspect of family law? Our highly experienced family law and divorce solicitors can help – we have the specialist, local legal expertise to help you.
Our Divorce and Family team is the largest locally. With offices in Salisbury, Andover, Amesbury and now Fordingbridge [following our merger in October 2017 with Fordingbridge Solicitors, Jacksons], we have the specialist knowledge you need. And the team is headed by Dinshaw Printer, a serving Deputy District Judge. So you can rest assured that when you instruct our team, they really know how the courts treat divorce and, in particular, financial settlements.
Here at Bonallack and Bishop, we provide both FREE initial phone advice and, and a FREE first 30 minute appointment for all family law matters – face-to-face or using Zoom video. So call or email us today
April 6, 2022 – Divorce update
The 1st changes in divorce law in 50 years saw the introduction of a simpler, more straightforward divorce process.
With effect from April 6, 2022, the following radical changes took effect
1. The changes remove the need to prove to the court 1 of 5 “facts” to establish “irretrievable breakdown “of your marriage. This is the “no-fault” part. No longer will you be forced to prove to the court either adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion or 2 or 5 years separation
2. Joint divorce applications become available for the 1st time. So, where both parties agree that the relationship has finally broken down, the divorce application can be made by both parties, together.
NB you will still be able to make an individual application for divorce if your spouse refuses to participate in a joint application
3. You can no longer contest or defend a divorce
4. Some of the terminology is brought up-to-date. ‘Decree nisi’, for example, are now known as a Conditional Order and ‘Decree Absolute’ becomes a Final Order. The divorce petition is also now known as an application
5. a new 20 week waiting period has been introduced after the respondent completed the acknowledgement and before you are able to apply for the Conditional Order
All these changes also apply to civil partnership dissolution
As a result of the simplification of “no-fault divorce” in April 2022, our family lawyers now offer a fixed-price divorce.
Click here to read more about our £600 Fixed Fee Divorce Service – but please note this fixed price service applies only to the divorce, and does not include advice on children or financial issues and excludes the court fee.
Have there been changes to the way family finances are divided when you get divorced?
There have been talks of reforming the way finances are split during a divorce, but any changes still appear to be sometime off. The Justice Minister, Lord Bellamy, commented in response to a question in the House of Lords on March 8, 2023, that any potential changes to the current laws governing financial provision on divorce would not be seen for at least two years. So, while there have been informal announcements, there is no definite news on the matter
Choosing the right divorce solicitor for you
There is a common misconception that all family lawyers attempt to force clients to push for everything they can get out of a divorce – picking up a huge legal bill as the process drags on.
Whilst unfortunately a few lawyers do take this approach, the vast majority are simply committed to helping their clients reach fair outcomes without delay and bitterness.
We strongly believe that for the vast majority of divorce cases, working together with your spouse to find a solution and fair settlement is the right way to go – rather than looking for a battle to fight. That only produces a a long drawn out acrimonious case, not to mention a bigger legal bill, neither of which which are going to help you.
Our team are committed to using family mediation and a negotiated settlement wherever possible – but we do recognise that there are occasions when perhaps because of the aggressive approach taken by your partner or their solicitor, we will need to take a more robust position and fight your position. Our experienced solicitors can help provide the best outcome for you and your family.
Click here to read more about how our divorce and family lawyers can help you
Divorce and Family Law experts you can rely on
Divorce and family law work is all the five lawyers in our team does.
What’s more, the team includes a specially qualified Resolution Trained Collaborative Lawyer.
Divorce and Family Mediation
The family mediation and collaborative law approaches work really well for many people – and can bring real savings in both time and legal costs – not to mention stress.
Click here to read more about how family mediation could make a real difference to your divorce or relationship breakdown
Free specialist advice
Family breakdown can be hugely distressing – and understandably you may be worrying about how you will cope with the changing circumstances – not to mention what is going to happen to your finances and your children.
The answer is simple – all of our family law team offer FREE initial phone advice and a FREE first 1/2 hour appointment on any family law issue, face-to-face, on the phone or by Zoom video. So don’t suffer in silence – call one of our team today.
If you live in the Fordingbridge, Ringwood and New Forest area area and want practical answers from family lawyers you can trust, call our team on 01425 652110.
Worried about financial issues?
When a family breaks up, there are many things to consider. If property and joint finances are involved, things can be much trickier.
In these situations it can often be difficult to come to an arrangement with your ex-partner, particularly at a time when emotions and tempers are high. And that’s why you need the right family lawyers on your side.
Click here to find out more about financial issues and divorce or relationship breakdown
Relationship breakdown and children
In a recent study, excellent UK relationship support charity Relate found that there is no such thing as a ‘good’ divorce.
The study found that 58 percent of separated parents did not believe a ‘good’ separation is possible when children are involved with more than half conceding that even despite their best efforts to minimise the pain of divorce on their children, that the experience had had a negative impact on their children.
Whether or not you are married, if their children involved, getting the right solution for everyone is essential. And that’s where our highly experienced family lawyers can help.
Click here to read more about the law surrounding divorce, relationship breakdown and children
Live in Ringwood? Are you looking for Specialist Divorce Solicitors? Contact us now
Don’t suffer in silence. Find out where you stand today.
- Call one of our family team on FORDINGBRIDGE 01425 652110 OR
- E-mail us using the online enquiry form below
5, Provost Street,
Fordingbridge,
Hampshire,
SP6 1AZ