Divorce times extending due to government changes


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The impact of the government’s decision to create a single family court and regional centres for the issue of divorce petitions is biting very deep in the East Anglian region with divorce times seeing a significant increase.

The Bury St Edmunds Family Court was chosen to process new petitions for the East Anglian and South Eastern regions, including parts of London. At only 80% of its staffing requirements it is understandable that all paperwork associated with new petitions, decree nisi, decree absolute and the sealing of financial settlement orders is taking a very long time. In fact months, not weeks or days as previously. Staff are apparently working overtime at weekends to clear a substantial backlog.

The average time for an uncontested divorce was approximately four months but this has extended considerably and parties should now expect a process taking at least double that.

Nicola Furmston is a partner and head of the Family department at Barker Gotelee.

Family Solicitors in Ipswich – for more information on our range of legal services, please call the team on 01473 611211 or email [email protected]