Family: Matrimonial & Relationships

When marriages and other relationships break down, there are many issues that need to be resolved.  Our approach is to be proactive in helping clients through a difficult time. Our aim is to achieve a timely and cost effective outcome but sympathetic to the individual client’s needs.

We have particular and well-tested expertise in handling ‘high value’ and financially complicated matters often involving business assets and inherited wealth.

We have led the way in establishing pre-nuptial agreements as a sensible method of dealing with a couple’s assets particularly in circumstances where the marriage is a second marriage.

We have acted in divorces all over England and Wales. Divorces today are rarely contested but we have the expertise and experience to deal with defended divorces.

We have many years of experience in handling the issues arising out of the breakdown of marriages and relationships. Although mindful of the alternative ways of resolving the issues, our ethos is to adopt a proactive approach to achieve a timely and cost effective outcome.

Drastic cuts in government budgets mean that very few will qualify for Legal Aid. We offer a range of packages so that you can control what you do yourself, what we do to assist you and how much you pay.

Package 1

• File opening.
• Questionnaire sent to you to be completed.
• A letter preparing by a family solicitor explaining the divorce process.
• A family solicitor preparing paper divorce application for you to submit to the court.
• A family solicitor preparing paper application for conditional order for you to submit to the court.
• A family solicitor preparing paper application for final order for you to submit to the court.

£220 plus £44 VAT plus £612 court fee (if not eligible for Help With Fees).

Package 2

• File opening.
• Questionnaire sent to you to be completed.
• A meeting (via telephone or Zoom) with a solicitor if necessary.
• A letter preparing by a family solicitor explaining the divorce process.
• A family solicitor to be on the court record as acting for you (the Applicant) in the divorce.
• A family solicitor preparing and submitting the divorce application to the court.
• A family solicitor preparing and submitting the application for conditional order to the court.
• A family solicitor preparing and submitting the application for final to the court.
• You will be kept updated of the progress of the divorce at every stage.

£450 plus £90 VAT plus £612 court fee (if not eligible for Help With Fees).

Package 3

• File opening.

• Questionnaire sent to you to be completed.
• A letter preparing by a family solicitor explaining the divorce process.
• A family solicitor to be on the court record as acting for you (the Respondent) in the divorce.
• A family solicitor to prepare and submit the response form to the divorce (known as an Acknowledgement of Service).
• Sending you copies of the divorce application, conditional order & final order promptly as and when received.
• Updating you on key stages of divorce and progress generally.

£350 plus £70 VAT.

T&Cs

You are responsible for keeping us updated of the progress of the divorce (as you will be the point of contact as far as the court is concerned).

The marriage certificate will be required (if it has been misplaced, we can arrange for a copy to be obtained for a cost).

Please note there will be extra costs involved if the other party does not respond to the divorce as they will need to be served by a private bailiff. We will advise you about this if it becomes necessary.

Financial matters

The financial matters arising out of divorce (e.g. dealing with property, savings, pensions, etc) and obtaining a clean break order can be dealt with separately using our bespoke service and a quote can be obtained by contacting the office directly via telephone on 01639 640152 and email on reception@hutchinsonthomas.com.