If you are considering getting a civil partnership dissolution, we understand that this is likely to be a complex and emotional time for you.
Our solicitors can support you throughout the process to help you make decisions in your best interests and ensure that practical arrangements are taken care of.
Our solicitors have experience assisting with all aspects of getting a civil partnership dissolution, including the legal process and making arrangements for children, finances and property.
Our civil partnership dissolution solicitors aim to reach a constructive resolution where possible, using Alternative Dispute Resolution methods such as negotiation and mediation to resolve matters amicably.
Where this is not possible, our family law solicitors have the necessary expertise to represent you in court and achieve the best possible outcome for your family.
Speak to our civil partnership dissolution solicitors in London today
Contact our expert civil partnership dissolution lawyers in London now by calling 03300250176 or use the contact form for a prompt response.
If you are looking for assistance with the divorce process, please get in touch with our divorce solicitors.
How our civil partnership dissolution solicitors can help you
Civil partnership dissolution is the legal process of ending a civil partnership between two people who have been in the partnership for more than a year.
It involves formally ending the legal relationship, in a process similar to divorce for married couples. To dissolve a civil partnership, either party, or both parties jointly can apply to the court for dissolution in which they must provide a statement of irretrievable breakdown.
Issues such as financial settlements and child arrangements are typically resolved separately before or alongside the dissolution.
Our solicitors can assist with the dissolution of a civil partnership by providing expert legal advice and guidance throughout the process.
We will help you prepare and file the necessary paperwork for the application and ensure all legal requirements are met.
We can also assist with negotiating financial settlements, dividing assets, and resolving any disputes regarding children.
We favour resolving family arrangements amicably using Alternative Dispute Resolution methods such as mediation and negotiation.
However, we have the necessary expertise to represent clients in court if required, aiming to achieve a fair and amicable resolution.
Our expertise ensures that the dissolution process is handled efficiently and effectively, minimising stress and protecting the interests of our clients.
Financial settlements FAQs
How to dissolve a civil partnership?
In order to make an application to dissolve your civil partnership, you must have been in the partnership for at least one year.
If you do not want to end the civil partnership, you can get a legal separation. You can apply for separation during the first year of your civil partnership.
If you are eligible for a dissolution, then you can proceed with making an application to the court, either online or by post. You can send the application on your own as a sole applicant or jointly with your partner.
As part of the application, you will need to confirm that your civil partnership has irretrievably broken down. This means that the partnership has ended permanently and cannot be fixed.
You are no longer required to explain to the court why the civil partnership has broken down.
If you’ve made a sole application, your partner will need to respond to the application notifying the court that they have received it, within 14 days.
You can then apply for a Conditional Order 20 weeks after submitting your dissolution application.
During this period, the court will determine if the dissolution can proceed. The mandatory 20-week period also allows couples time to confirm their decision to end the civil partnership.
Six weeks and one day after the Conditional Order is issued, you can request a Final Order, which will permanently end your civil partnership.
The court will notify you when you can apply for the final order, either by email or post, depending on how you initially applied. You should then apply for the final order within a year.
If you need to prove your civil partnership has ended, you can show your final order.
What are the grounds for civil partnership dissolution?
In April 2022, the divorce and dissolution process was changed to a ‘no-fault’ process under the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020. This means that couples no longer need to assign blame to one party in order to end their partnership.
Instead, you will need to provide a ‘statement of irretrievable breakdown’ which confirms to the court that your relationship has ended and cannot be repaired.
Under the former process, there were ‘five grounds’ for divorce or civil partnership dissolution. These were:
- Adultery
- Unreasonable behaviour
- Desertion
- Two years of separation with consent
- Five years of separation without consent
Before 2022, your partner could also dispute the application if they did not want to get a dissolution. Now it is much harder to dispute a dissolution and you can only do so under specific circumstances. These are:
- The civil partnership wasn’t valid in the first place
- You believe the civil partnership has already been ended through dissolution
- You don’t believe the court has the authority to process the dissolution, which is called ‘not having jurisdiction’.
How long does a civil partnership dissolution take?
Under the no-fault process, a dissolution takes a minimum of 26 weeks to complete, this includes 20 weeks to obtain the Conditional Order and six weeks for the Final Order.
However, most civil partnership dissolutions take longer, particularly if there are issues to resolve concerning children, finances, or property.
These matters are handled separately from the dissolution itself but can extend the overall timeline.
How much does it cost to dissolve a civil partnership?
To apply for a civil partnership dissolution, you must pay a £593 fee when submitting the application to the court.
This fee covers the cost of processing the dissolution application through to the final order.
It's important to note that this fee only covers the court application itself. You will also need to cover additional legal expenses, such as your solicitor's fees, throughout the process.
Speak to our civil partnership dissolution solicitors in London today
Contact our expert civil partnership dissolution lawyers in London now by calling 03300250176 or use the contact form for a prompt response.