Because we specialise in family law at Higgins Miller we’re used to dealing with people as they cope
with highly emotional circumstances. This can include adoption, dealing with wills and probate and
handling interactions with social services. We combine our advice with emotional support, and
always do everything we can to make sure that issues are settled without having to go to court. We
know that court appearances can be expensive, time-consuming, and stressful, and that’s why we
always work with clients to achieve a quickie divorce.
The end of a long summer holiday often marks the moment at which couples realise that their
relationship has run its course and it’s time to seek a divorce. Some may hesitate to actually go
through with the divorce, however, because they fear that it will be a long, drawn-out, acrimonious
process. It doesn’t have to be that way, however, if you come to Higgins Miller and ask us to help
you with a quickie divorce. In legal terms, the phrase ‘quickie divorce’ refers to a divorce which takes
place when both parties agree. It is known as a ‘no faults divorce’ and is a legal approach to divorce
which has replaced the system in which specific grounds for divorce had to be named. Pre-quickie
divorce legislation, one party would have to claim that the other party had committed adultery,
deserted them or engaged in unreasonable behaviour. Now, however, if both parties agree the
divorce can take place, but a genuine quickie divorce still involves a larger degree of co-operation
between the two parties.
The end of any relationship is an emotional and difficult time, and the emotions which have driven
the split are often allowed to spill over into the divorce process itself. A quickie divorce, on the other
hand, requires both parties to come to an amicable agreement on issues such as how any children of
the marriage will be cared for and what financial arrangements will be made. Any clients who come
to us looking for a quickie divorce will be guided toward the mediation process as a means of dealing
with issues such as these.
The concept of the mediation process is often misunderstood, with people imagining that it involves a third party trying to bring about some form of reconciliation. This is not actually how the process works. Mediation is a process which comes after it has been accepted by all concerned that ending the marriage would be the best course of action. It involves working toward a quickie divorce by creating a space in which the matters which need to be settled can be discussed in a calm and non-confrontational manner, with an impartial professional mediator guiding the parties through any disagreements they might have.
The kinds of issues which are likely to get in the way of a quickie divorce are those involving the care
of children and financial matters. Our experience in dealing with couples and providing a quickie
divorce service means that we know how to deal with issues such as these in a way which lowers the
temperature and removes the need for conflict. It helps that our grasp of a quickie divorce is based
on a clear understanding of exactly how the legal process works and the experience of helping lots of
couples gain a quickie divorce. Our mediation process creates a safe arena in which couples can
discuss financial questions such as:
- Which party will carry on living in the family home, or do circumstances dictate that the property will have to be sold and the proceeds divided between the parties?
- How will the parties deal with on-going household bills after the divorce?
- Are there any outstanding joint debts, and if so, how will they be dealt with?
- What will be the process for dividing assets jointly owned, such as savings and investments?
- How will possessions which are jointly purchased be divided?
When working on a quickie divorce our legal team will advise clients to be completely open about
their financial situation and to work together to come up with solutions for the questions raised
above. After all, it is in the best interests of all concerned for an agreement to be reached as quickly
as possible, enabling both parties to walk away from the failed marriage and plan for the rest of their
life. The same approach applies to questions over the welfare of any children involved. Despite the
end of the relationship, both parties can be expected to have their children’s best interests at heart,
and we will facilitate joint efforts to agree on questions such as where the child will live and how the
non-resident parent can enjoy regular access.
If you’d like to find out more about obtaining a quickie divorce 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.
