Jamie and Louise Redknapp apparently ended their 19 year marriage in 25 seconds in a “quickie divorce”. Gary Lineker says he divorced quickly and easily online and then took a swipe at the legal profession who are apparently, the root of all evil (yeah, right!). If you read the papers you can apparently end your marriage in seconds. Can you really? If the celebrities can, why can’t you? Good question!
The answer is very simple, the celebrities can’t divorce in 25 seconds and neither can you. It is true that the Court hearing may only last 25 seconds but that is one small part of the process. The divorce will likely take 4 to 6 months to complete start to finish and this is mainly due to Court delays. At the very least you have to wait 6 weeks and 1 day in between the Decree Nisi (order stating that you are entitled to a divorce) and your Decree Absolute (the order that means you are divorced).
It is true that “getting divorced”, if it is not contested, is relatively straightforward. The process involves paperwork being sent to and received from the Court. The delays occur due to the Courts being overworked and statutory time-frames to ensure the parties to the divorce do consider the implications of being divorced rather than making an off the cuff decision. However, when getting divorced you must also divide your finances and this is where most arguments and therefore delays develop. It is often the case that parties need the assistance of a family lawyer to assist with what they are entitled to and what is reasonable in this regard as there is no set formula to divide assets but rather factors to consider.
The division of your financial assets may take 18 months to 2 years if they proceed through the Court process and are fully disputed. Of course, you may agree the division of your finances but it is strongly recommended that you incorporate this into a “Consent Order” (an Order agreed directly between the parties). If you do not seek a Court Order to record your agreement any party may be able to make a claim in the future as there is no time bar on financial claims.
You can read more about the so-called “quickie divorce” in our article Quickie Divorce? Hmmm… Top 5 Divorce Myths Debunked
Call rhw Divorce Lawyers in Guildford or email
