An increasing number of married couples in the United Kingdom are for various reasons getting divorced. Divorce is described as the ending of a marriage before death of either spouse. Any divorce must be certified and recognised in the Courts of Law. This is due to the fact that the dissolution of a previous legal act (marriage) is required. In 2004 in the United Kingdom there were over 150,000 divorces which is 14 divorces per 1000 married people in the population. The figure is rising continually in the United Kingdom (with the exception being the 01.01% drop in divorce rate between 2003 and 2004.)



There are many, many reasons why a married couple would choose or be forced to divorce each other. Some of these reasons include: unfaithfulness and adultery, irreconcilable differences, work and employment pressures and monetary and financial issues. Although some divorces can be amicable, this time in somebody’s life is obviously very difficult and traumatic for all the parties involved. Although there may be people that are made to be much happier by the fact they are divorced from their spouse, a lot of new divorcees will suffer from depression and self esteem issues.

One of the most vital points that needs to be addressed by anyone who is getting divorced is that of getting quality legal advice. There are many issues surrounding the need for legal advice and all of these need to be tackled so that a divorcee can avoid any extra stress at this already difficult time.

The legal process surrounding separation of couples and divorce is full of myths and unanswered questions. It is vital that anyone pursuing a divorce or even contemplating a divorce untangles these myths and understands the implications and practicalities of their impending divorce. When looking for advice and legal help with a divorce it is vital that questions are asked in order to understand the process.

As well as understanding the process anyone contemplating or going through a divorce needs to make sure that they are completely comfortable with the solicitor they are using. This again will involve asking questions and ensuring that the client knows exactly what they will be getting from the solicitor and how much that will cost. Questions that should be asked by the client include things such as: How long they have been qualified for, some testimonials or case studies of their work, how long they have worked in the field of divorce and also how much they charge and what services this charge out rate includes. Other questions should also be asked to make sure the client has complete and utter peace of mind before continuing.

A high charge out rate may seem off putting to people but when pitching this against the implications of bad legal advice or no legal advice, it puts things into perspective. A divorce that goes badly due to bad advice or misrepresentation can lead to far reaching problems linked to finance, their business and family including children.