This story is sponsored by Harrogate Family Law 

A Harrogate mother-of-three who divorced her husband says she couldn’t have got through the challenging process without the support of Harrogate Family Law (HFL). 

Mrs H had been married for 14 years when her previously happy marriage hit the rocks and she was left feeling there was no other option than separation.

For Mrs H and many people in this situation, this is a time of mixed emotions. Feelings of deep unhappiness, guilt about splitting up a family, and complete failure for breaking wedding vows are a heavy weight to bear.

Mrs H was married to a successful lawyer who regularly threatened that she would be left with nothing if she divorced him.

She said: 

“Mine was a very acrimonious separation. My ex-husband was very controlling, and approached our break-up very aggressively.” 

Contacting a lawyer is a very daunting prospect and Mrs H mulled over whether to make the call and set the wheels in motion.

However, she was surprised at the initial meeting, as its aim was to ensure that all avenues had been explored before making a final decision on separation.

On HFL’s advice, the couple tried counselling in an attempt to work through their problems with the aim of avoiding separation or divorce. Unfortunately, counselling was not successful.

HFL advised Mrs H to try mediation in the hope that a fair and amicable settlement could be agreed.

Cut off at Christmas

In Mrs H’s words, mediation was a “disaster” and a lengthy period of correspondence followed. During this period, Mr H tried every trick possible to get Mrs H to agree to his terms.

His actions included, without notice, a significant reduction in funds to the account which supported Mrs H and their three children.

Mrs H said: 

“My ex-husband cut off all funds to me. I was faced with a really difficult Christmas with the kids – I didn’t even have the money for our Christmas dinner.

“If it weren’t for a good friend lending me some money, his children would have been left living on nothing over the festive period.

“Thankfully, HFL didn’t invoice me until they absolutely had to and they were incredibly understanding about the situation I was facing.” 

In the end, Mrs H’s ex-husband took the case to court in an effort to exhaust her funds, but things didn’t go his way – the judge awarded a fair settlement to Mrs H and her three children, including the payment of her legal costs. 

Mrs H said:  

“My ex-husband tried to leave me with as little as possible, but with HFL’s help the outcome was fair and ended up being just what they’d said it would be – they called it absolutely right.

“They stood up to my ex-husband and his lawyers, and were very robust in their counter-arguments. For them, it was never about the fees – it was all about the desire to get the best possible result for me and my children in a fair way.”

Mrs H was so impressed with her lawyers that she’s already referred several friends to Harrogate Family Law. She said:

“HFL really made a difference. They don’t sugar-coat anything, so you always know exactly where you are.

“If you phone HFL there’s a really understanding person on the other end of the line. You share a lot of personal information with your lawyer, more than you do with your friends, but never once did I feel judged. They were the right people, at the worst time of my life.”

Find out more:

For clear, honest advice from a supportive solicitor at Harrogate Family Law, call 01423 594680 or go to harrogatefamilylaw.co.uk.

This article is sponsored by Harrogate Family Law.

If the prospect of divorce has crossed your mind, you’ll know it’s one of the biggest decisions you could ever make.

Whether you have been married for many years or only a short time, considering ending the relationship can be daunting: from finances to children, there are many aspects which make the situation feel complicated.

Before you make a decision, here are some suggestions which could make the process easier for everyone involved.

Speak to a solicitor

This may feel like a big step, and one which should come much further down the line, but it’s actually something many people do in the early stages – even before speaking to their spouse.

Andrew Meehan, director of Harrogate Family Law, said:

“A lot of people come to us when they haven’t even decided it’s finally over.

“It’s the biggest decision you will ever make in your life, but most people have never been through it before.

“Knowledge is power: people want to know what they are in for and what they would potentially come out with.”

Choose the right law firm

It’s important to do your research and be confident in your choice. Your solicitor will need to know everything about your life, including your finances, so make sure it’s someone you feel comfortable with.

Solicitors are not just there to resolve disputes, but are an essential part of ensuring any agreement is legally sound.

Mr Meehan said:

“Even if you have agreed a settlement with your ex-partner, it still needs to be put into a court order so it’s binding.

“People sometimes think that the introduction of no-fault divorces means they don’t need to have everything done through solicitors, but that’s not the case.

“Whether it’s an amicable settlement or things are more contentious, it is really important to get the right advice to ensure your settlement is fair from the outset and will be fair to you in the future too.”

Do your research

In many divorces, there is an imbalance of assets between the two parties. While one person having a higher income than another can be obvious, it’s often also the case that pensions, trusts, business ownership and other factors need to be considered to ensure the settlement is fair.

Getting all the information together will help your solicitor to ensure you get what is fair and that your needs for the future will be protected.

Mr Meehan said:

“We deal with a lot of cases where there is a family business to consider, or where one partner has focused on their career to earn money for the family while the other has taken a step back to raise the children and look after things at home.

“Not only does that mean their current incomes are vastly different, but it also means their future earning potential, their pension provision and their other assets can be affected quite significantly.

“Knowing all of these details helps us to get the full picture of the finances and ensure they are split fairly, so one partner is not disadvantaged because of the role they played while the family was together.”

Don’t panic

Facing divorce at the outset can be a worrying time, even if it is likely to be amicable.

When you add in potential challenges, such as one partner making the situation more difficult or displaying narcissistic tendencies, it can feel insurmountable.

However, your solicitor should be there to guide you through it and ensure the end result is right for you, said Mr Meehan.

“Our strapline is ‘on your side’ and that’s what a good solicitor should be. They should understand your worries and help to put your mind at ease.

“We know that people are often concerned about the necessities: keeping a roof over their heads, having money to pay bills and cover their legal fees, and managing their finances before the settlement is agreed.

“Having the right solicitor who understands this is absolutely essential for your peace of mind, now and in the future.”

This post is sponsored by Ison Harrison Solicitors

After many years of campaigning and discussion by solicitors such as Ison Harrison, ‘no-fault divorce’ is going to stop the law putting divorcing couples up against one another. From April 2022, no-fault divorce is being introduced into English law as a means of legally separating two spouses.

How does the no-fault divorce differ from the current divorce process?

Currently, the person applying for a divorce can only do so on the grounds that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. To do that they must be able to show evidence of at least one of the five key facts:

• Adultery – that the other spouse has committed adultery and they find it intolerable to live with them.
• Unreasonable behaviour – that the other spouse has behaved in such a way that the petitioner can no longer reasonably be expected to live with them.
• Desertion – that the other spouse has deserted the petitioner for a minimum of two years.
• Separation: two years – that the two parties have lived separately for a continuous period of two years and both parties agree to the divorce.
• Separation: five years – that the two parties have lived separately for a continuous period of five years and one or both parties agree to the divorce.

A no-fault divorce removes the need to rely on these five facts and hopes to provide an easier route to a more amicable separation. Therefore, a couple can apply for a divorce without apportioning blame.

Shaun Hulme, partner at Ison Harrison, said:

“At present couples often find themselves relying upon trivial issues simply as a means to meet and surmount the legal test. Thinking of reasons can be quite hurtful to both parties.”

How does a no-fault divorce process work?

• One or both parties can make an application to the Court for a ‘Divorce Order’
• Within that application must be a statement to confirm that the marriage has irretrievably broken down
• There is then a minimum period of 20 weeks from the date of this application to the next stage of the divorce process. This is known as the ‘period of reflection’, designed to give couples time and space to consider their actions and whether they still wish to proceed
• Prior to a ‘Conditional Order’ (formerly known as the Decree Nisi) being issued, one or both of the parties must re-confirm that they still wish to separate
• Currently, there is a minimum period of six weeks and one day between the Decree Nisi (Conditional Order) and the Decree Absolute (Final Order) being issued, and this will remain in place.

What are the benefits expected from the no-fault divorce?

While there is a perception that divorce can be messy, antagonistic and bitter, many couples separate on amicable terms and certainly wish to maintain a positive relationship on the basis that their marriage simply ran its course on natural grounds. In such cases, the mood is sad and reflective, and couples mainly wish to divide assets and make arrangements for children in the most cordial way. This can happen, but increasingly it has been felt within the legal sector that having to apportion blame can create bad feeling and finger-pointing, where there isn’t necessarily any blame on either party. In other words, evidence of one of the ‘five facts’ can be hard to find, and these conditions have become outdated as ‘cover-all’ terms.

Ison Harrison Solicitors strongly support the long-overdue introduction of the no-fault divorce, and with vast experience of dealing with separating couples, we are confident the move will reduce the scope for disagreement.

To find out more about our expert family law services, visit www.isonharrison.co.uk/no-fault-divorce/ or call our Harrogate branch on 01423 228 111.

This article is sponsored by Ison Harrison Solicitors.

As life starts to get back to normal, for some, covid has uncovered irretrievable cracks in their relationship. Now might therefore be the time to make the first tentative steps towards separation and divorce.

Ison Harrison Solicitors in Harrogate provide advice on what to do next to make the transition as amicable as possible.

Where To Begin

If you feel that the only outcome for you and your partner is to divorce, the process can seem really daunting. You may be thinking; where do I start, how long will it take and how much will it cost?

The biggest step for most people is the first one, engaging a family solicitor. To do this you have to accept that the marriage is over and have the motivation to do something about it. This is no easy task and can often lead people to stay in unhappy relationships.

Shaun Hulme who is a partner and family solicitor at the Harrogate branch, said:

“I am all too aware of the difficulties faced by those who are separating and facing a future they did not necessarily expect for themselves.

My role as a family solicitor is to help my client navigate this difficult and unexpected future not only for themselves but for their family.”

What to expect from a divorce case

Divorce is never something someone can plan for. It is often a decision that has taken careful consideration and comes with varying emotions such as heartbreak, upset and stress.

To think of a life without your partner may be hard to imagine but solicitors at Ison Harrison, like Shaun, are already thinking of the end goal before you’ve even got there:

“Whilst clients are at the very outset of the case, often with heightened emotions making difficult decisions even harder, I am already at the end point planning the case backwards to get them on the road to independent living.

“I help them to look forward to a future albeit one they had not planned.”

Often during proceedings, it can get heated between couples with each person determined to have the last word. Shaun Hulme makes sure to help his clients navigate this tricky part. He said:

“I advise all of my clients to avoid the need to have ‘the last word’ and move forward. This is particularly true with children. At the end of the process people want to look back and know that they have acted in the best interest of their children.”

Ultimately, Shaun said his main aims throughout a divorce case is to meet his clients expectations whilst managing them, to build trust and to ensure they feel supported throughout.

Top tips for reducing stress and getting the best outcome

Ison Harrison solicitors have provided some advice on what to remember as you work through the process:

• Start as you mean to go on – try and stay as calm and focused as possible rather than letting resentment guide you
• Be open and honest – hiding information only results in increased costs and animosity
• Be respectful – if you are feeling hurt it can be difficult to be respectful, however if you make things difficult for your ex-partner they of course will be less likely to cooperate
• Put the children first –  the welfare of your children should be the first thing you consider when making decisions. Children are often most affected by family breakdowns and will remember a bad experience for the rest of their life
• Consider what you want in the long term and the short term – to ensure that you walk away with a result that works for you both now and in the future

For a 30 minute free initial discussion about the steps involved in the divorce process, contact Ison Harrison Solicitors, Harrogate on 0113 284 5000 or email us on harrogate@isonharrison.co.uk

To download a copy of our Roadmap to Divorce document which takes you through all of the stages in the process, click here.