Divorce | Family Law | Updates

Civil Partnership Dissolution Vs Divorce

Name: Residential conveyancing
Brand: EPO Solicitors
Rating: 4.9 (187 reviews)

22 September 2022

Is Civil Partnership Dissolution the Same As Divorce?

A civil partnership dissolution and a divorce are two methods to legally terminate a relationship, but whether you’re in a marriage or civil partnership depends on which you apply for.

Divorce is for a couple who are married, and dissolution is for those in a civil partnership. Though these two types of relationships are very similar, the process for ending them, and in the eyes of the law, they are not the same.

What Is a Civil Partnership Dissolution?

An application for a civil partnership dissolution can be made for couples in a civil partnership if the relationship has been ‘irretrievably’ broken down, and the same goes when applying for a divorce. The relationship must also have been legally binding for more than one year.

What Are the Grounds to File For A Civil Partnership Dissolution?

Previously, when making an application for a divorce or a civil partnership dissolution, there was a requirement to give evidence as to the reasons for separation.

However, the new Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020 has been in effect since the 6^th April 2022, which allows for the relationship break down to be ‘no-fault’ in England and Wales.

This has been introduced to remove the need to assign blame to one party, in order to get proceedings to start immediately. As before this act was introduced, couples would have to wait for 2 years of separation, when both parties agree to a divorce or civil partnership dissolution, or even 5 years if one partner is protesting the separation.

What Else Has Changed for A Civil Partnership Dissolution or Divorce?

The new act has created the option for joint applications when filing for a divorce or civil partnership dissolution, whereas beforehand, it has only been allowed for one partner to file.

There is new terminology being used, allowing for couples to be referred to as ‘Applicant 1’ and ‘Applicant 2’, instead of ‘Applicant’ and ‘Respondent’, hoping to reduce conflict and make the process easier for both parties.

Additionally, there is a 20-week minimum period mandated to be between the start and end of proceedings. This allows couples to have the time to make plans for the future and work together or give a period of reflection to think over and ensure they want to continue with the application for divorce or civil partnership dissolution.

How Can EPO Solicitors Help with Your Divorce or Civil Partnership Dissolution?

These new laws mean that the proceedings for both civil partnership dissolutions and divorces have become more alike, as the same application form is used, but they are not the same. A dissolution is for civil partnerships, exclusively, and a divorce is for marriages.

At EPO Solicitors, we know how to help you through the breakdown of your relationship and make the process of legally terminating your marriage or civil partnership as easy as possible. Our legal experts can help you and your partner make your application, aid you in reaching an agreement, and help you take care of everything you might not have thought about when separating.

We’ll lighten your load and take the stress of the legal proceedings off your shoulders and move it to ours.

Contact Us

If you’re looking for more information on civil partnership dissolution , please do not hesitate to contact us.

Samuel Sparrow

16:20 23 Sep 22

Bought my first home which completed today, and I could not be happier!My Solicitor, Katie Dwyer, was absolutely fantastic and helped me each step of the way. Her guidance, professionalism and support was second to none. She even went out of her way to assist by attending a meeting in the evening to ensure that documents were completed when needed. I honestly could not have had a better Solicitor. If you want a fantastic Solicitor, contact Katie at Eddowes Perry & Osbourne. She was recommended to me. I, like a lot of others, have come to realise that Katie is not only a truly talented Solicitor, but also an incredible person.

Jean Wall

13:24 08 Aug 22

We have been with Eddowes Perry and Osbourne for many, many years and have always had excellent service for all of our legal needs.This time we chose them again to do the conveyancing for our house sale and house purchase.Maria was excellent; her professional approach to the job gave us peace of mind throughout the process. She was diligent and thorough in all aspects of the work. We had regular updates and all of our questions and concerns were addressed timely and positively with no drama.I would wholeheartedly recommend Maria for her conveyancing skills and EPO for all aspects of legal work.Thank you to all the team members but to Maria and Sarah in particular.

TW-Automotive

17:44 12 Jul 22

Reviewing on a B2B basis... Worked with Yassa to deliver some branding for their company vehicle, effortless to deal with and most importantly paid instantly. Any prospective customers / businesses no need to worry when it comes to EPO. Great people.

Saurabh Paul

21:37 06 Jul 22

We had the pleasure of having Maria as our conveyancing solicitor, for my purchase and sales that concluded couple of weeks ago. Right from the start of the engagement, I found Maria very professional, transparent and courteous. She ticked all the boxes that one could think of to make the rather complex conveyancing process smooth and easier. Given the post covid market conditions having a right solicitors was very important and I can only be thankful to Maria and the EPO team for overcoming the challenges on our sales and our purchase to ensure timely completion. At all times she kept us well informed about the progress and provided us with a first class service in terms of the guidance and ensuring appropriate due diligence. Can’t thank Maria and her team enough for their hard work. Maria is trustworthy and a safe pair of hands for any conveyancing needs.

Howard Allen

15:02 07 May 22

I found it easy to contact this company and their communication is exceptionally good. An appointment for my mother to have a home visit was quickly arranged for a date and time that suited her. The solicitor took the trouble to comply with the Covid restrictions at my mother’s accommodation and the visit was not at all rushed. The solicitor put my mother at ease and was particularly courteous and helpful. Having taken my mother’s instructions the solicitor quickly produced the draft document and arranged for a follow up visit for the final document to be signed. This involved some more work than was originally quoted for but the invoice was for the quoted amount. The solicitor was thoroughly professional and efficient but, importantly for my mother, friendly and approachable. I wish that I had used this company for other legal work that I have needed recently as I am sure that I would have had a much better experience. I would definitely use this company for any future work and wholeheartedly recommend them to others. Thanks very much for such an excellent and considerate job.