Middlesbrough divorce lawyers are being kept busy as UK divorce rates have gone up for the first time in seven years. Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that the number of divorces in 2010 was 4.9% higher than in 2009. Prior to this there had been a general trend of decreasing divorce rates for a number of years. Last year, the number of divorces was at its lowest since 1974.
Some commentators believe financial worries caused by the recession are leading to many family breakdowns. Unemployment and the decline of the housing market may cause stress and worry in families which can lead to arguments and instability. A similar trend of an increase in divorces took place at other times of recession. There were increased divorces in the early 1980s, 1993 and 2003.
However, financial extremes either way can cause marital problems. In one case in America, a man won the lottery but marital difficulties from before his win were made worse and, just one month later, his wife filed for divorce. She was entitled to half his $88 million win as part of the settlement.
Going through a divorce is often a difficult time. Emotions run high. You may be angry with your partner or feeling sad about the end of the marriage. Even though moving forward and ending the marriage may be the best decision for you, you may still feel a sense of grief for the marriage and all the hopes you had at the beginning. And it is likely your life will be dramatically different after a divorce.
There are many considerations during a divorce. If you own your home together, will you sell it? If not, who will live in it? What will happen to your finances? And, if you have any children, what arrangements will be made for where they will stay and when they will see the other parent?
Marriage rates are declining as more couples decide to cohabitate – the rate in 2009 was at its lowest point since records began in 1850. Considered alongside the rate of marriages, there is the equivalent of one couple divorcing for every two couples that get married.
The median duration of marriages before divorce in 2010 was 11.4 years, up from its lowest point of 8.9 years in 1985. The number of divorces was highest among people aged between 40 and 44. Most couples divorcing were on their first marriage but around 30% of divorces included at least one partner who had been previously married and then either divorced or widowed. Around half of couples divorcing had at least one child aged under 16 living in the household.
Getting a divorce aged 40 or over may be a scary prospect. It may seem unlikely that you’ll find love again. If you need to go back to work after your divorce, you may be worried about finding a job. And even if you have grown children, they are still likely to be upset and disrupted by the divorce. Many couples decide to wait until their children are grown before divorcing but this will not necessarily avoid hurt. It is important to treat the process with care and consideration and use a solicitor that will go for a non-confrontational and reconciliatory approach.
The most recent divorce statistics indicate that behaviour is the most commonly cited reason for divorce – it was cited in 55% of cases, the highest rate ever. In order to be granted a divorce based on unreasonable behaviour, you will need to provide evidence. You can discuss this with your solicitor. Often, they will ask you to make a list of reasons why you consider your partner’s behaviour to have been unreasonable and they will select which are the most useful in putting together your case.
Other grounds for divorce include adultery, desertion, living separately for two years, with agreement, or living separately for five years, without agreement. In order to start the divorce process, you will need to file a petition for divorce. It is recommended that you speak to a solicitor early on so that you have guidance at the different stages of the process and understand the full implications of any arrangements that are made.
There are many Middlesbrough divorce lawyers so how do you choose who to approach to help you through the process of getting a divorce? A good approach is to choose a firm, such as Macks Solicitors, who are members of Resolution, a group of family law firms committed to a constructive and non-confrontational approach to divorce. Macks are specialist Middlesbrough divorce lawyers and have many years of experience in this area, giving you the best possible advice and the best possible start to your post-divorce future.
