January & Divorce
As memories of Christmas fade and we turn our minds back to work and getting fit, it’s hard to avoid the fact that there may be life-changing obstacles ahead for many of us.
The first working Monday back after the Christmas break is sometimes known as “Divorce Day” among solicitors who typically see a spike in couples seeking divorce at this time of year.
This year Divorce Day falls on Monday, January 6 when lawyers across Britain will receive a deluge of enquiries from couples who have found themselves unhappy in their marriage.
While there was a ten per-cent dip in the divorce rate last year, the Ministry of Justice puts this down to an administrative problem with divorce centres processing a backlog which is likely to filter through to a higher number of divorces that will have completed by Divorce Day 2020.
Experts often point to the stress of pleasing a wide spread of family members at Christmas coupled with financial pressures that come with the festive break. If you add to that the fact that the new year brings with it a prompt for many to focus on personal goals that will change their lives for the better, you have the tinder box and the spark it needs to ignite.
Support service Amicable has pointed out that more than 40,500 people last year searched “divorce” online in January, which is nearly 25% higher than at any other time of the year. At the same time relationship charity Relate regularly reports a peak in calls in January, as tensions come to a head over Christmas and families are squeezed to their limits.
The Office of National Statistics says the main grounds quoted for divorce are “unreasonable behaviour” with 51.9% of wives and 36.8% of husbands petitioning on these grounds in 2018; it was also the most common reason for same-sex couples divorcing.
As solicitors we’re not able to give marriage guidance counselling but we can suggest that you come and talk to us before it goes too far.
Family law is a complicated area and our family law experts have helped many families to resolve issues involving the home, money and how children are cared for.
They are also warm human beings with a reputation for a sensitive and understanding approach when dealing with clients going through painful and difficult situations.
We offer legal assistance and advice on all aspects of separation, divorce, childcare, maintenance, child support and other, related, issues including the rights of grandparents.
If possible, we try to help clients to work together to find a way through amicably. Where appropriate we would also suggest that mediation is something you could try.
Mediation is a non-adversarial technique used to resolve family conflicts outside the court process. A trained and impartial mediator can help by liaising with both parties helping them to reach a mutually-acceptable resolution.
And please rest assured that, if you have reached the point where you are sure that your marriage is over, there is an office full of friendly faces here at Hine Downing where we can help you and guide you through what is normally a very challenging time. We’re here if you need us.
Call 01326 316655 and ask for Kerys Deavin or click here for direct contacts via email.
With all best wishes for 2020,
The team at Hine Downing
