Andover Divorce - Posted on behalf of Bonallack & Bishop Solicitors

Prepare a written summary of your personal circumstances for your first meeting:

If you wish to file for divorce, then it will save time and money if you arrive at your first meeting with your solicitor with a written summary of the basic circumstances surrounding your case. This will prevent your solicitor from having to spend time extracting certain facts from you. The following are examples of the type of information you could supply: 
 

• Your full name;
• Your date of birth;
• Your full address;
• Your spouse's full name;
• The names and ages of any children involved;
• A summary of your family's finances (including details of any property owned including its estimated value, any outstanding debt, details of any pensions, shares, savings, endowment policies or other investments and any other assets); and
• A list of the main questions you want to ask your solicitor.

Bring with you the original or a certified copy of your marriage certificate:

If you intend to file for divorce then your solicitor will need to see either your original marriage certificate or a certified copy (obtainable from your local Registry Office).

Complete Form E

Form E is a large court document used to set out the full details of your family's finances. By completing as much of the form as possible and bringing appropriate supporting documentation, you will reduce your legal bill because of time saved.

Please observe that you must adhere to the various notes on the form as to what documents are appropriate to use. You can save considerable time by bringing this item pre prepared.

Obtain a pension valuation

One of the largest family assets can often be a pension. You must be aware that your pension is taken into account when calculating family assets as a whole and will be factored into how these assets are then divided up between both parties. Your solicitor will require an up-to-date valuation from your pension company.

A letter to your pension company requesting the current transferable will save your solicitor from asking for this information in the future.

Obtain any relevant financial documents

Negotiation of a financial settlement is a process often used in divorces. In order for this to take place, you may need to provide numerous documents. You should ask your solicitor what documents are needed in your case, but the list is likely to include most of the below:

• If you are a home owner; a valuation of your home. It is suggested that you obtain 3 market appraisals from local estate agents;
• Your P60 and three most recent payslips from your employer;
• Twelve months worth of bank statements;
• Your most recent credit card bill and redemption statement for any hire purchase or loan agreement (if necessary);
• Details of any substantial asset you own (i.e. a life insurance policy or shares etc);
• A mortgage redemption statement from your lender.

Respond promptly to any correspondence received from your solicitor

Remember, a solicitor bills for time spent on a case. Therefore, your solicitor will charge you for every letter sent and phone call made. To keep these costs down, try to respond as promptly as possible to any correspondence from your solicitor and follow any instructions carefully.

Ask your solicitor if there is anything else you can do yourself

Do not be afraid to approach your solicitor and ask them what their next actions are going to be. Offer to assist in anyway possible and make it clear that you are willing to take on any mediocre administrative tasks. This could reduce potential billing hours.

Consider Mediation or Collaborative Law

Both of these procedures are designed to resolve conflict and disputes out of the court. This will inevitably be cheaper for both parties and should help reduce the stress and upset associated with these cases.

Mediation involves both parties sitting with an independent mediator, whom will try to establish all the conflict issues and attempt to reach a mutual agreement. Mediators are independent bodies and will not offer any advice to either party. Therefore, it is crucial that you still obtain your individual legal advice.

Collaborative law involves a similar process to Mediation i.e. a face-to-face issue spotting and resolving procedure. However it differs in that it involves both parties having separate legal representation present. The solicitors discuss each of their client’s interests and try to negotiate settlements in the presence of the clients.

Both of these procedures share a strong emphasis on cooperation and seeking an agreed outcome to a family breakdown. They also offer an effective alternative to costly court battles. Both approaches can often produce swift results and less expensive outcomes.

If you follow these basic tips then your legal costs for divorce should be lower.