By Mark Love
Barrister and Member of Gray’s Inn and Inner Temple, Head of Chambers since 1999. Advisor to Baron Grey since 1995.
Family practitioners have campaigned for many years to remove the need for one party in a divorce to find fault in their spouse.
As a family practitioner, I was delighted to see that the Divorce Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 received Royal Assent on 25 June 2020 which will commence implementation on 6 April 2022.
Trying to find a fault with one’s spouse in order to get over the hurdle of divorce proceedings has inevitably caused great upset to the parties involved, when clearly in most marriages which have broken down neither party is at fault – it’s just time to move on! Family practitioners did their best to make the situation better, but a huge amount of time, money and mental anguish has been wasted discussing which party would be taking the blame. This inevitably created an atmosphere of mistrust and has caused countless arguments and recrimination.
From April, we will no longer need to deliberate where the fault lies. Divorce proceedings can now commence without this consideration, ultimately saving both time and money. Those involved can move forward and focus their attention on finances, property and if there are children involved, what’s fair for them – they are always the priority.
Do you need further advice on this subject?
Call Baron Grey on 0208 891 4311 for a free no-obligation initial consultation
