If you’d like to get divorced before Christmas but feel like you’ve probably left things too late then
the experts at Higgins Miller will be happy to explain that this doesn’t have to be the case. We
understand why people might think like this; the period between the end of summer and the end of
the year itself can all too often seem to pass in a blur. First the kids are back at school, then its
Halloween and bonfire night and before you know it the countdown to Christmas has officially
started. Even a couple who have agreed to end the relationship and want to get divorced before
Christmas might feel that packing in all the complex legal work involved at the same time as ensuring
that the kids still get to enjoy a family Christmas might be impossible. The good news for anyone
hoping to get divorced before Christmas is that if they contact us now, we can help to make it
happen.
We specialise in family law, which means that as well as being able to help couples get divorced
before Christmas we’re used to dealing with things like wills and probate, adoption and children
disputes. What these things all have in common is that, as well as being complex legal situations,
they also tend to be difficult in terms of the emotions involved. That’s why we always take the time
to offer support as well as legal expertise, and to deal with each client in a clear and easily
understood manner, rather than blinding them with legalese and jargon.
We fully understand why couples with younger children might want to get divorced before
Christmas. The days when people were told to stick together for the sake of the children have long
gone, fortunately, thanks to an understanding of how damaging it can be for children to be raised by
unhappily married parents. Given that divorce sometimes becomes inevitable, people will
understandably want to get it done and all of the details sorted as quickly as possible, leaving the
family as a whole free to celebrate Christmas under whatever arrangements were reached in a
divorce settlement.
Mentioning a divorce settlement might create the impression that wanting to get divorced before
Christmas means working through a complex legal process. The fact of the matter is that it is now
possible to get divorced before Christmas via a no-fault divorce, which means that the process itself
is only as complex as both parties agreeing that they genuinely want to get divorced. No fault or
blame needs to be apportioned, and the process which we guide our clients through is one of
reaching an amicable agreement on as many parts of the divorce as possible. Although both parties
may be striving to achieve a ‘positive’ divorce, it can still often be useful to work with an impartial
mediator when coming to an agreement on matters such as where the children will live post-divorce
and how much access the non-resident parent will enjoy.
The mediator will act as a buffer between the parties and a sounding board, making it far more likely that they will quickly be able to reach an agreement on matters of child welfare and also the financial side of a divorce agreement. This will mean agreeing on aspects such as how bills will be dealt with, how existing joint outstanding debts will be handled and what will happen to the family home. Anyone hoping to get divorced before Christmas will need to reach an agreement on matters such as this relatively quickly. That doesn’t mean, however, that anything less than full care and attention should be paid to any agreement. Our experience of dealing with divorces will help us to make sure that the parties involved consider every relevant factor of their lives together and are open and honest about details such as their existing financial situation. We will also ensure that all of the paperwork involved in filing for a no-fault divorce is filled in correctly and filed with the correc bodies. Even a mistake made in something as seemingly simple as filling in a form could result in delays which make it impossible to get divorced before Christmas.
While we appreciate the fact that a couple might want to get divorced before Christmas we also
understand that, with the best will in the world, this won’t always be possible. It could be that the
financial situation of the parties is a little more complex than the norm, particularly if they have ever
been in business together, or that the arrangements relating to children take longer to agree
because one parent is considering moving away for work. These are just two possible examples of
complications, but if things are more complex we can work at the clients’ pace to have as many of
the relevant details in place before Christmas, and then work with them to finalise matters in the
new year.
If you want to ask about plans to get divorced before Christmas please call us on 0161 429 7251 or
email us at [email protected]. We’ve recently passed our Cyber Essential accreditation,
something which demonstrates our forward-thinking attitude and determination to remain ahead of
the competition. The first 20-minute appraisal is provided free of charge, and we’ll give you the first
appointment for a fixed fee, so you don’t have to worry about how much our advice is going to cost.
If you want to explore our wider charging system then please take a look here.
