Divorce and Separation Solicitors in Staffordshire & the West Midlands

The minimum is around 6 to 7 months from application to Final Order, due to the mandatory 20-week reflection period built into the no-fault divorce process. In reality, most divorces take longer — particularly where financial matters are complex or contested. According to Ministry of Justice data, the average time from application to Conditional Order was 37 weeks in 2024. Joint applications tend to complete faster than sole applications.

For a simple divorce with no assets or children, you can apply online yourself through GOV.UK. However, if you own property together, have pension assets, have children, or your spouse is not cooperating, getting legal advice is strongly recommended. The divorce process itself is relatively straightforward,  it's the financial and children arrangements that are complex and where getting things wrong can have long-term consequences.

The court fee to file a divorce application is currently £593. Legal fees are on top of this and vary depending on the complexity of your case. A straightforward, amicably managed divorce with legal representation typically costs between £1,500 and £3,000 all in. If financial matters are disputed or if the case goes to court, costs can be significantly higher. We'll give you a clear cost estimate at the outset.

The family home is usually the most significant asset in a divorce. The options include selling the property and dividing the proceeds, one party buying the other out, or a deferred arrangement (often used where there are children) where the house is retained until a trigger event such as the youngest child turning 18. The right approach depends on your circumstances, the equity involved, and what both parties can afford. We'll help you work through the options and make sure any agreement is properly recorded in a sealed Consent Order.

No. Since the introduction of no-fault divorce in April 2022, a spouse cannot contest or block a divorce. The only grounds on which they can challenge the application is the court's jurisdiction (for example, if they argue the case should be heard in another country) or the validity of the marriage itself. They cannot simply refuse because they don't want to divorce.

A Consent Order is a legally binding document, approved by the court, that records the financial agreement reached between you and your spouse on divorce. Without one, financial claims do not automatically close when you divorce, your ex-spouse can make claims against assets, inheritance or business interests potentially years later. If you have any assets to divide, we strongly recommend getting a Consent Order in place before or at the point of the Final Order.

Pensions are treated as a matrimonial asset and must be considered alongside property, savings, and other assets when reaching a financial settlement. A pension can be divided by a Pension Sharing Order (where part of the pension fund is transferred to the other party's pension), a Pension Earmarking Order (where a share of future payments is redirected), or offset against other assets. Pensions are often undervalued or ignored in settlements, we work with specialist actuaries where needed to make sure you have the full picture.

Divorce legally ends a marriage. Separation means you are living apart but remain legally married. Legal separation (also called a judicial separation) is an alternative for couples who do not want to divorce - often for religious or financial reasons, and allows the court to make financial orders without formally ending the marriage. For unmarried couples, separation has no formal legal process, but cohabiting couples may have rights in relation to property and children. We can advise on all of these routes.