Civil partnership dissolution solicitors
Ending a civil partnership is called dissolution. When you instruct Rushton Family Law, we take care of the legal process from start to finish and make sure it fits with everything else that needs resolving, particularly the finances and any arrangements for children.
Civil partnership dissolution at a glance
- Dissolution is no-fault, and you can apply alone or jointly.
- You must have been in the civil partnership for at least a year before applying.
- The process follows the same three stages as a divorce: the application, the conditional order and the final order.
- The legal process takes around seven months at minimum.
- Civil partners have the same financial claims as spouses, but these need a separate agreement or court order.
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Specialist Divorce and Family Lawyers
Rushton provides discreet representation for divorce, financial settlements, and arrangements for children. We treat every case with the care it deserves, without losing sight of what actually needs to get done.
When it really matters
Getting advice on dissolving a civil partnership
We start by understanding where things stand. That means how long you have been separated, what assets are involved, and whether there are children to think about. If your partnership was registered abroad, or either of you has connections to another country, we will look at that early, as it can affect where the dissolution should take place.
From there, we will advise you on the best approach, including whether to apply on your own or jointly, and when to start.
How civil partnership dissolution works
Dissolution follows the same stages as a divorce. We prepare and submit the application and deal with the court on your behalf. If your partner has applied, we handle your response and make sure any deadlines are met.
After a minimum of 20 weeks, we apply for the conditional order. Six weeks after that, the final order can be applied for, which legally ends the civil partnership. As with divorce, applying for the final order too early can affect your financial position, so we will advise you on the right time.
Financial settlements on dissolution
Civil partners have the same financial claims on dissolution as spouses do on divorce, covering property, pensions, businesses and maintenance. The 20-week period is usually when that work gets underway.
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Our Team
Our team of specialist family solicitors offer expert advice in proportion to what’s at stake for you. We advise on all areas of family law and bring the same care and high standard to every family we work with.
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FAQs
How we work
An experienced family solicitor will run your matter from the first meeting onwards, and you will deal with them directly rather than being passed between members of a team.
Part of their job is to help you decide where your time and money are best spent. In most divorces there are points worth pressing and points that make little difference to the end result, and we will be straightforward with you about which is which.
A lot of matters are resolved through negotiation or mediation, and where that is realistic we will recommend it. Where it is not, because the other side will not engage, or disclosure is incomplete, or the issues are genuinely contested, we will advise you on taking the matter to court and act for you there.
Rushton Family Law is the sister brand of Vardags. If your case involves complex finances or international issues, we will introduce you to the Vardags team.
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