Civil Partnership Dissolution Solicitors
If you are in a civil partnership and you wish to formally end it, you need to apply for a ‘dissolution order’. If your civil partnership has broken down, our experienced civil partnership solicitors are here to help.
Our civil partnership dissolution expertise
Our specialist civil partnership solicitors can advise you on the process of dissolving your civil partnership and guide you on other aspects such as financial and childcare arrangements. The application forms for dissolving a civil partnership are readily available on the Government website. However, an experienced family lawyer can ensure the dissolution process runs as smoothly as possible and can be on hand to advise on any complications that may arise along the way.
Our Family team is band 3 ranked in legal guide, Chambers and Partners UK, for its expertise in matrimonial law. Our solicitors are also accredited by the Law Society for Family Law and Children Law, recognising our expertise in these areas.
Should you need legal advice about any property issues related to your civil partnership dissolution, our Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) accredited conveyancing solicitors are on hand to assist with buying and selling, remortgaging or a change of title.
What are the grounds for dissolving a civil partnership?
To apply for a dissolution, you must have been in your civil partnership for at least one year.
You no longer have to prove that your relationship has irretrievably broken down, but you do need to make a statement saying that the relationship has come to an end.
You can find out more about the legal process for ending a civil partnership in this blog.
Civil partnership financial arrangements
Once you have decided to start the dissolution process, our civil partnership solicitors can look at your shared property and assets, and discuss with you how you wish for them to be divided.
There are lots of factors to consider when advising on a fair financial settlement as part of a civil partnership dissolution. These include:
- The welfare of any relevant children.
- The current income and future earnings of both parties.
- You and your ex-partner’s financial needs and obligations.
- The standard of living you enjoyed during the civil partnership.
- The age of each civil partner.
- The duration of the civil partnership.
- Any physical or mental disabilities.
- Financial contributions that each civil partner has made or is likely to make.
- The conduct of both civil partners.
Our civil partnership lawyers will advise you on each of these aspects tailored to your circumstances and endeavour to achieve a fair financial settlement.
Childcare arrangements after a civil partnership dissolution
When it comes to childcare arrangements after separation, civil partners have the same rights as married couples and any other parents with parental responsibility.
If you have a child during the civil partnership or if you enter into a civil partnership with the parent of your child, you will acquire parental responsibility for the child. If you are in any doubt as to whether you have parental responsibility for a child and wish for more advice, our expert child law solicitors can assist.
If you are having difficulty reaching an agreement about arrangements for your child/children, our child law solicitors can also offer advice on the best way to reach a resolution. Civil partners with parental responsibility for a child can also apply for a Child Arrangements Order if they are unable to agree.
Civil partnership dissolution FAQs
You can apply to end your civil partnership yourself, however, if you have any assets, property or children together, it is a good idea to seek legal advice from a solicitor who specialises in civil partnership dissolution.
There are four main steps in the dissolution process:
- An application is made by one or both parties (either a sole applicant or a joint applicant).
- The application is submitted with a court fee.
- Once the application is acknowledged by your ex-partner and after a 20-week cooling-off period, your solicitor will help you to apply for a Conditional Order; this is confirmation from the court that you have satisfied the legal requirements to dissolve your civil partnership.
- Six weeks after you have the Conditional Order, you can apply for a Final Order which legally ends your civil partnership.
The process normally takes about six to nine months from beginning to end.
While the process may seem relatively straightforward, it is vital to reach a financial settlement, too. Our specialist team will advise you on finances as well as supporting you with the court application.
Refusals to cooperate with the dissolution of a civil partnership are rare, however, if you or your ex-partner are disputing the dissolution or refuse to cooperate with the dissolution process, we can advise you on what to do next.
Yes, it is wise to update your Will after any significant life change, including civil partnership dissolution, divorce and separation.
Civil partnership dissolution does not revoke a Will. If you die without updating your Will to reflect your relationship status, your ex-partner will be treated as if they had died when your civil partnership was dissolved, and they will therefore not inherit any of your estate.
The legal process for divorce and dissolving a civil partnership are similar, as are the fees. The difference between the terms ‘divorce’ and ‘dissolution’ is that divorce relates to ending a marriage, whereas dissolution is used for civil partnerships.
To be eligible for divorce or dissolution, the marriage or civil partnership must have been in effect for one year or more.
Contact our civil partnership dissolution solicitors in Bristol
Our family solicitors advise people all across the UK from our offices in Bristol and the surrounding area, located in Bedminster, Bishopston, Bristol city centre, Kingswood and Thornbury.
To contact our specialist solicitors about a civil partnership dissolution, call us on 0117 325 2929 or fill out our online enquiry form. Alternatively, you can make an immediate start online.