Co-op Legal Services welcome “long overdue” divorce law reforms as no-fault divorces come into force

05 April 2022

Vijay Mehan, head of family law at Co-op Legal Services, said: “We welcome the introduction of this weeks’ no-fault divorce legal changes, which is long overdue, and will mean we now have a legal framework that meets the modern age we live in, making the process of ending a marriage a more cordial and collaborative process for many couples. As a result, we are expecting to see an uplift in the amount of people seeking our expert legal advice on divorce and their financial positions.

“There’s no doubt that the process of divorce can be a very painful and emotional experience, yet current law, which hasn’t changed in almost fifty years, dictates that couples who wish to divorce must either assign blame to one party, or endure two or more years of separation which increases animosity right from the time the marriage has broken down. This makes it difficult for people to part on a more amicable basis and unfortunately can sometimes exacerbate bad feeling at what is already a very difficult time.

“By removing the requirement of blame or the delay of lengthy separation, there will be more focus on what’s best for each person and we’re confident that in many cases, it will help reduce the emotional toll on those involved. We see many couples who simply want to close a chapter on their lives and move on without the need to prove that either spouse is at fault.

“Going forward the process of divorce should be easier and more straightforward to navigate, enabling couples and our expert legal advisors to focus on other important matters around financial settlements and deciding what’s best for any children involved.”