One-hour Fixed Fee Consultation

At your initial one-hour appointment your solicitor will provide detailed expert advice, providing much-needed clarity about the best way forward for you.

Dedicated Team

Our family law solicitors provide excellent legal advice backed up by a sensitive, understanding approach – essential at such an emotionally difficult time.

Experienced in Dealing with Complex Matters

Our highly experienced team can resolve issues around divorce, child arrangements, finances and business interests, achieving positive outcomes.

Fully Qualified Professionals

We are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority and are fully-qualified solicitors, trained mediators and Resolution-accredited.

£100 + VAT Fixed Fee Appointment

Fixed Fee Appointment £100+vat

We offer a reduced-price initial appointment to enable you to discuss your divorce in detail with a family solicitor.

At your initial hour-long consultation you will receive in-depth advice and guidance on the next steps you should take, along with a clear indication of the likely overall costs.

If you are facing divorce or family breakdown, you don’t have to do it alone. Our experts can guide you through the process, looking after your best interests.

Book an appointment for a one-hour consultation by using our online appointment request system.

Alternatively, you can email enquiry@beswicks.com or phone us on 01782 205000.

 

 

Why Choose Beswicks?

  • Experienced family solicitors
  • Jargon-free approach
  • Rated five-stars on Google reviews
  • Regular progress updates provided
  • Upfront about costs
  • Dedicated solicitor who you can contact at any time
  • Regulated by the SRA
  • Resolution-accredited

 

How to Get a Divorce

Who Can Get a Divorce?

To get divorced in England or Wales:

  • You need to have been married for over 12 months
  • Your relationship must have permanently broken down
  • Your marriage must be legally recognised in the UK (including same sex marriage)
  • The UK must be your permanent home, or the permanent home of your husband or wife

Grounds for Divorce

There are five ‘facts’ for divorce. They are:

  • Adultery
  • Unreasonable behaviour
  • Desertion – when one party deserts the other for more than two years. 
  • Living apart for at least two years and you both agree to the divorce
  • Living apart for at least five years. In this case, it doesn’t matter if your partner doesn’t agree to the divorce.

 

Expert Support

When a relationship breaks down the repercussions can be immense, impacting on children, wider families, finances and business interests. Our dedicated team can help look after and protect you and your loved ones, guiding you through this difficult time and helping you to move on to the next stage of your life.

Our focus is to negotiate on your behalf to reach an amicable agreement swiftly and fairly, but if agreement cannot be reached, we have the experience and skills needed to represent you at court.

Read more about our Family Law services.

Clarity About Cost

  • Initial one-hour appointment with a family solicitor to obtain expert advice and guidance on your situation: £100 +vat

The Benefits

  • Qualified Solicitors

    You'll receive solid legal advice provided by experienced family solicitors who understand just what you're going through.

  • Accessible at all Times

    We're just a phone call away, supporting you with advice whenever you need it and helping you to navigate emotionally charged situations in the calmest possible manner.

  • Practical Solutions

    We use our vast experience working with all types of families to find the best solutions for you, negotiating on your behalf and putting the best interests of you and your family first.

How Does it Work?

Step One

Every family situation is unique, so the first thing we do when you instruct a Beswicks’ divorce solicitor is to meet with you so that you can fully explain your circumstances. This can be done face-to-face, over the phone or via video call.

We offer a reduced-price hour-long appointment for this initial consultation, costing £100+vat. At this meeting we accurately assess the best next steps for you and provide you with clear advice about how to move forward with your situation.

Step Two

There are two parties in any divorce; the person who initiates the divorce, also known as the petitioner, and the other party who is the respondent. 

If you are the petitioner, step two will involve writing your divorce petition. Your solicitor will draft this for you using the information discussed at your initial consultation.

Once you have reviewed your divorce petition. It will be sent to your spouse to give them the opportunity to respond.

If you are the respondent, we will review the details contained in the divorce petition received from your petitioner. You have two options at this stage, to either agree the petition or to defend it. 

If you agree to the petition, this is an uncontested divorce but if you decide to defend the petition, it is a contested divorce.

Step Three

The next stage varies depending on whether your divorce is contested or uncontested.

An uncontested divorce is usually more straightforward than a contested divorce. In an uncontested divorce the divorce petition is sent to the court, along with an acknowledgement of service form filled in by the respondent. The petitioner then applies for a decree nisi, which is a provisional decree of divorce.

Unless there is any disagreement about costs, an uncontested divorce does not usually require the participants to attend court.

If a divorce is contested, the petition will be sent to the court and the respondent given 21 days to file an answer saying why they disagree with the divorce. This leads to a lengthier and more costly process.

Final Steps

Divorce proceedings can be complex and there may be many issues to resolve before your divorce is final, for example, financial issues, child arrangements and property matters. Your solicitor’s expert advice and support is crucial in ensuring you achieve the best possible outcome.

Once these matters have been resolved and providing a period of six weeks and one day has passed since your decree nisi has been pronounced, the petitioner can then make a final application for a decree absolute to officially end the marriage.

What our clients say

Very happy with the service provided. Kept me up-to-date every step of the way! Highly recommended!

J Spencer

A very well-organised and attentive firm who helped me with family matters for which I am truly grateful.

Howard Cutland

I just wanted to say a massive thank you to Sarah Jones. She was brilliant. A friend recently asked me whether I felt lonely being on my own. I explained that Sarah never left my side. It was like I'd known her for years. She fought my case and supported me.

Sandra Stevenson

Sarah Jones was professional throughout, thorough and I did not have to chase her up once. She made me feel at ease throughout and informed me of what was happening at each stage. She came to the rescue on several occasions when orders needed to be completed straight away to safeguard my children. Sarah was amazing.

Sarah Loader

I found Beswicks' staff friendly and helpful and Sarah Jones extremely capable and obliging. She very kindly kept my family informed at all times.

Jenny Grainger

Thank you so much for your help, advice and professional services. It was a pleasure to meet you and I am very pleased with the outcome you achieved for me with minimum fuss or expense.

Mrs AMW

Very helpful and friendly during a difficult time.

Mrs LMP

Professional service, yet friendly, kind and approachable.

Mrs KD
Click here to find out more about divorce and our other family law services