Start Divorce Proceedings During Lockdown?

Is it Possible to Start Divorce Proceedings During Lockdown?

The court service is open to receive new petitions for divorce during lockdown.

Divorce petitions are processed through regional centres and in the East of England the regional centre is at Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

However, people wishing to divorce in the East of England can use any regional centre in England or Wales.

Petitions can be filed with the court online and your solicitor can help you do this.

Divorce During Lockdown

If during lockdown you are living with a spouse you wish to divorce you can still petition.

However you should take legal advice before taking this step.

If the court issues a divorce petition for you it will be sent to your spouse. You need to be sure that you will be safe in the same house when your spouse realises what you have done. It is never advisable to instigate proceedings without notice to your spouse and this should only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Talk to your solicitor about what protection you might need in this situation or whether you should delay petitioning the court. There are a number of other considerations that should be taken into account and there are also a number of options available in respect of how to deal with divorce and separation, such as mediation or using collaborative law.

In this unprecedented times, the issue of Domestic Violence has received heightened media coverage after increased numbers of incidents have been reported.

If you are a vulnerable person at risk of significant harm in your home during lockdown you can call the police.

You can get emotional support and access refuges through www.lighthousewa.org.uk or www.suffolkuserforum.co.uk/support-directory/mens-advice-line/.

For expert legal advice to understand your legal rights and if you would like to know more about your options, contact Matt at [email protected] or telephone Matt on Ipswich 01473 407181 or Colchester 01206 584584.

Mediation Collaborative Law