Divorce and Separation
At Butcher & Barlow, our Solicitors understand that going through a divorce or separation, whether you are married, in a civil partnership, or living together, is a stressful time, and you are likely to be worried about making arrangements for your finances and children.
Our Divorce and Separation Solicitors are on hand to provide support throughout the legal process and ensure that matters are handled in a way that is right for you.
Whether you are looking for sensitive and practical guidance or strong representation, we will tailor our approach to your circumstances.
Our Family Law Solicitors will help you complete the legal process smoothly and address any additional considerations, such as child arrangements and the division of assets and property.
We will provide specialist legal advice to help you achieve a fair outcome that allows both parties to move forward.
Our experts can help you with matters including:
- Divorce application and proceedings
- Civil partnership dissolution
- Separation agreements
- Financial settlements
- Child arrangements
- Annulment
- High net worth divorce
- International divorce
Contact our Divorce and Separation Solicitors in Greater Manchester and Cheshire
To access specialist legal advice for a divorce or separation, please contact us at Butcher & Barlow.
You can call us on +44 (0)161 764 4062 or email enquiries@butcher-barlow.co.uk.
What is the difference between divorce, separation and civil partnership dissolution?
The key difference between divorce, civil partnership dissolution, and separation is that divorce and civil partnership dissolution legally end a marriage or civil partnership, while separation allows a couple to live apart without formally ending their legal relationship.
Divorce legally dissolves a marriage, enabling both parties to remarry. Under UK law (the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Act 2020), divorce no longer requires assigning blame –often referred to as ‘no-fault divorce’.
Civil partnership dissolution follows a similar legal procedure to divorce but specifically applies to couples who have registered a civil partnership. It legally ends the partnership, enabling both partners to enter a new civil partnership or marriage.
Separation, by contrast, means couples choose to live separately but remain legally married or in a civil partnership. It can also apply to unmarried couples who choose to live apart. A separation agreement can be used to set out practical arrangements concerning finances, property, and childcare without immediate court involvement.
Our divorce and separation services
Divorce application and proceedings
Going through a divorce can be emotionally challenging, but having expert legal support can make a significant difference. At Butcher & Barlow, we aim to ease the emotional burden of the divorce process by listening, guiding and reassuring whilst providing clear and practical advice.
Our Divorce Solicitors in Greater Manchester and Cheshire will take the time to understand your circumstances, your challenges and objectives, and how we can assist you with the divorce process.
We can assist you at every stage of the divorce proceedings, ensuring that all paperwork is completed promptly and accurately.
This includes making the divorce application, applying for a Conditional Order, and later obtaining a Final Order (previously known as a Decree Nisi and Decree Absolute), which confirms the legal end of your marriage.
Civil partnership dissolution
Ending a civil partnership can be an emotional and challenging time, but with expert legal support, the process can be much less stressful. At Butcher & Barlow, our experienced Family Law Solicitors are here to offer guidance and reassurance at every stage with practical advice tailored to your circumstances.
We take the time to understand your situation so we can support you through the civil partnership dissolution process in the way that works best for you.
Our team will ensure that all legal documents are completed promptly and accurately, including applying for the dissolution order and securing the Final Order that confirms the legal end of your partnership.
As well as managing the civil partnership dissolution process, we can also provide support with making financial and child arrangements to enable both parties to move forward on mutually agreed terms.
We will be on hand to address any concerns you have and help you move forward with all of your practical arrangements taken care of.
Separation agreements
If you and your partner have decided to separate – whether you are married, in a civil partnership, or an unmarried couple, our experienced solicitors can help you draft a clear and comprehensive separation agreement.
A separation agreement sets out practical arrangements concerning finances, property division, and childcare – providing clarity, reassurance and peace of mind.
Our Solicitors will be on hand to support you throughout the entire process, enabling you to move forward with confidence.
Financial settlements
When you are going through a divorce or separation, one of the most important tasks to organise is reaching a financial settlement. This involves dividing the assets between both parties, including property, pensions, savings and other assets.
In most situations, separating couples will want to attempt to reach a voluntary financial settlement between themselves, and our Solicitors can help explain the way forward and support this. We can negotiate directly where needed or help with an Alternative Dispute Resolution process, such as mediation.
If negotiation, mediation, collaborative law, or another Alternative Dispute Resolution process is not appropriate or is unsuccessful, both parties will need to attend Court, applying for a Financial Order to divide their finances.
Our expert Divorce Solicitors at Butcher & Barlow have many years of experience and practical advice to offer in helping clients divide their finances, protect their interests, and deal with any issues that may arise.
Child arrangements
Going through a divorce or separation can be particularly difficult where children are involved, and making arrangements for them can be both emotional and complicated.
Our Divorce Solicitors at Butcher & Barlow can offer comprehensive support to help couples arrange where their children will live, including making shared care arrangements if appropriate. We can also help you finalise how child contact will work and potentially agree on child maintenance payments.
We can help separating couples with practical advice and, if appropriate, make arrangements by agreement, for example, by using Alternative Dispute Resolution processes such as mediation or, where necessary, by getting help from the Court to obtain orders for the welfare of you and your children.
Annulment
Annulment is a legal process that declares a marriage void, as though it never legally existed.
Unlike divorce, annulments can be sought at any time after the marriage, but they are only granted in specific circumstances.
In order to get an annulment, you will need to show that the marriage was never legally valid (‘void’) or was legally valid but meets one of the reasons that makes it ‘voidable’.
This includes situations where:
- The marriage was not consummated.
- You did not properly consent to the marriage.
- The other person had a sexually transmitted disease (STD) when you got married.
- Your spouse was pregnant by someone else when you got married.
- One spouse is in the process of transitioning to a different gender.
At Butcher & Barlow, our experienced Divorce and Separation Lawyers can guide you through the annulment process, offering advice on your eligibility and ensuring your rights and interests are protected.
High net worth divorce
High-net-worth divorces often involve complex financial arrangements, such as substantial assets, investments, property portfolios, business interests, and pensions.
At Butcher & Barlow, our skilled Divorce Solicitors have extensive experience handling high-net-worth divorces.
We can provide clear, strategic advice to protect your interests and ensure a fair financial settlement.
Whether through negotiation, Alternative Dispute Resolution, or court proceedings, we aim to achieve the best possible outcome, ensuring that your wealth and future financial security is handled with care.
International divorce
International divorces can be complex and invariably involve different legal jurisdictions.
At Butcher & Barlow, our experienced Divorce Solicitors can provide expert guidance to help navigate these challenges.
Whether one spouse resides abroad, assets are held in multiple countries, or the marriage took place overseas, we will work to identify the most appropriate jurisdiction for your case. This ensures that your rights are protected and a fair settlement is pursued.
With our clear advice and practical support, we aim to resolve your international divorce smoothly and efficiently.
Get in touch with our Divorce and Separation Solicitors in Greater Manchester and Cheshire
For specialist legal advice on divorce and separation, please contact us at Butcher & Barlow.
You can call us on +44 (0)161 797 5650 or email enquiries@butcher-barlow.co.uk
