Divorce is a difficult time, not only for the two people who have decided to end their marriage, but for all those closely linked to them. Emotions will run high, and rash decisions can be made which may not be the best solutions.
Enlisting the help of a family law solicitor who specialises in divorce is the only way to ensure that both of you finish the process with what is rightfully and justly owed to you. Finances, property, custody of and access to any children, business shares and so on are all things that need to carefully be investigated and proposals presented and agreed upon.
Our divorce solicitors in Tonbridge can guide you through every step of getting divorced. With clear, practical advice, we can make the entire process less stressful and avoid unnecessary conflict. That way, you can get through your divorce and get on with your life as quickly and easily as possible.
Book a fixed cost initial consultation with our divorce solicitors in Tonbridge
To arrange an initial fixed cost appointment with our divorce law solicitors, please call us on 01732 353305 or use our simple contact form, and we will get back to your quickly.
Bailey & Cogger Solicitors is now incorporated by Hatten Wyatt, meaning you can also access our divorce law expertise through local offices in Chatham, Gravesend, Maidstone and Tenterden.
We can also offer meetings by Skype for clients who have to travel extensively or who now live abroad. In exceptional circumstances, home visits can also be arranged.
How the Family Law team at Bailey & Cogger can help with your divorce
Our divorce lawyers in Tonbridge can:
- Help you to complete your divorce application (online or on paper, if you prefer)
- Work to reach a suitable arrangement between you both where there are children to be considered, for example, custody and financial provisions
- Help you to apply for a parental responsibility order where you have no legal rights in respect of a child you have cared for
- Help you to sort out financial matters and to resolve property disputes
- Advise you on making a Will or updating an existing Will in which your spouse may be mentioned
- Liaise with pension providers when there are issues around entitlement to split pension benefits
- Represent your interest should any aspect of your divorce result in a hearing before the courts
We can also offer signposting to support systems should either party be involved in domestic violence or abuse.
Removing unnecessary conflict from your divorce
Our divorce solicitors in Tonbridge are highly skilled in dealing with all aspects of divorce while keeping conflict to a minimum.
Divorce mediation
Mediation is commonly used for resolving arrangements for children and financial settlements during divorce. You and your spouse/partner will have a series of meetings (typically three to five) with a trained mediator where you will discuss the issues you need to resolve.
The mediator’s role is to provide clarification on any key points of law, defuse any potential conflict and keep the process productive.
Advantages of mediation include the process usually being much faster and less costly than court proceedings, as well as keeping the relationship between the parties more amicable and the details of your divorce private.
Collaborative law
A popular alternative to mediation is often used where there are more complex issues to resolve. Over a series of four-way ‘round the table’ meetings, you, your spouse and your respective lawyers will work to negotiate the details of your divorce arrangements.
Your lawyers must be trained in collaborative law, and other professional experts, such as accountants and financial advisers, can also sit in and provide the benefit of their expertise where appropriate.
Collaborative law is usually more expensive than mediation. However, it is still typically much less costly and faster than court proceedings. The benefits of having your own legal adviser on hand include giving you the confidence to deal with more challenging issues and ensuring your interests stay protected at all times.
Our divorce law pricing
Fixed cost initial appointment
A first meeting is offered on a fixed fee basis where preliminary advice can be offered, and you will be given estimates of costings of all stages of the process together with an indication of how long it will all take.
Fixed fee divorce
Our team can deal with some aspects key of divorce on a fixed fee basis, e.g. preparing and submitting your divorce petition. This provides complete certainty for you over the costs involved in dealing with these parts of the divorce process.
For other matters, such as making financial agreements and arrangements for children, we will typically work to an agreed hourly rate.
Divorce FAQs
What are the grounds for divorce?
There is only one ground for divorce required in England and Wales – that your marriage has “irretrievably broken down” i.e. there is no possibility of the marriage being saved.
Previously, you had to cite reasons to support this in your divorce application, but as of 6 April 2022, this is no longer the case, thanks to the introduction of ‘no-fault’ divorce.
What is no-fault divorce?
No-fault divorce was introduced by the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020, which came into effect in England and Wales on 6 April 2022. This changed divorce law in a number of ways, including:
- Removing the need to give reasons for the end of the marriage
- Allowing spouses to apply for the divorce together in a joint application
- Removing the possibility for one spouse to contest the divorce in almost all cases
- Changing some of the terminologies into plain English (e.g. ‘decree nisi’ became ‘Conditional Order’ and ‘decree absolute’ became ‘Final Order’)
- Introducing a new 20-week wait period from when the court formally ‘issues’ your divorce application to when you can apply for the Conditional Order that states there is no reason the divorce can’t go ahead
The term ‘no-fault’ refers to the fact that, under the old divorce laws, the reasons you had to give for the failure of the marriage usually meant one spouse would have to “take the blame”. As it is no longer necessary, there is now no need for either spouse to be at fault.
How long does a divorce take?
A divorce now takes a minimum of 26 weeks (6 months) under the new rules set out in the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020.
Why choose Bailey & Cogger Solicitors for your divorce?
Our highly experienced Tonbridge solicitors are accredited by the Law Society for Family Law in recognition of our expertise in areas including divorce, financial settlements and arrangements for children.
Our Family Law team is led by Avril Croud, a family lawyer with more than 30 years’ experience. As a member of the Law Society’s Family Law Panel, Avril is able to offer exceptional legal expertise and empathetic personal support during every stage of divorce.
Avril is supported by a very strong team, including Resolution accredited specialist and trained collaborative lawyer Deborah Nicholson,
We can also offer the services of our Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accredited Residential Property team for any property issues involved with your divorce or separation, such as buying or selling a home, transfer of equity and remortgages.
Key contacts
Get in touch with our divorce lawyers in Tonbridge, Kent
To arrange an initial fixed cost appointment with our divorce law solicitors, please call us on 01732 353305 or use our simple contact form, and we will get back to you quickly.
Bailey & Cogger Solicitors is now incorporated by Hatten Wyatt, meaning you can also access our divorce law expertise through local offices in Chatham, Gravesend, Maidstone and Tenterden.
We can also offer meetings by Skype for clients who have to travel extensively or who now live abroad. In exceptional circumstances, home visits can also be arranged.