Civil Partnership Solicitors

Our civil partnership dissolution expertise

Civil partnership dissolution applications

From preparing an initial civil partnership dissolution form, through to dealing with Conditional Orders and Final Orders, our expert solicitors can handle the entire civil partnership dissolution process on your behalf.

Applications for the dissolution of civil partnerships can be complex, highlighting the importance of our team’s knowledge and expertise.

Financial arrangements

Making arrangements following civil partnership dissolution is an important, if potentially contentious, issue. As a team, we have provided support and guidance to a full spectrum of clients and have helped to reach financial settlements that account for various complex issues.

We have helped clients to achieve settlements for various complex and high value arrangements, including:

• The family home
• Properties
• Businesses and Limited Companies
• Farms and agricultural land
• Pension schemes
• Shareholdings and complex Shareholders Agreements
• International divorce property and assets
• Offshore Trusts

Financial arrangements are usually made parallel to the civil partnership dissolution application process. In many cases court proceedings won’t be necessary, especially if matters are sorted as early in the process as possible.

Arrangements for children

Making arrangements for your children in the wake of a civil partnership dissolution can be incredibly challenging, particularly where you and your former partner find it difficult to decide on how they should live and how much time they should spend with each parent.

Nevertheless, it is vital that you take the time to carefully decide on what arrangement is going to work best for you and your family. This is something our team will be able to support you with.

Civil partnership law explained

What is a civil partnership?

A civil partnership is a legal relationship which, when registered, provides the same legal rights as a traditional marriage. The key difference between a civil partnership and a marriage is the fact a civil partnership is entered into via a civil partnership document, while a marriage is entered by vows.

How do you apply for a civil partnership?

In England and Wales, you can register for a civil partnership with your partner so long as the following criteria apply:

• You are both aged 18 or over
• You have lived in the same area in England or Wales for at least seven days
• Neither of you is already either a civil partner, or married
• You are not close blood relatives

To register a civil partnership, you and your partner must give notice you the local register office where you live. Once you have given notice, details will be made available in a register office for people to see. This must be available for 28 days before you can register your civil partnership.

How do you dissolve a civil partnership?

To be able to dissolve a civil partnership agreement, you must have been civil partners for over a year. A civil partnership dissolution application is submitted to the court, who will then confirm whether the process can go ahead with the publication of a Conditional Order. Following this, a Final Order will be published which confirms the dissolution.

There is one sole ground for the dissolution of a civil partnership; the relationship has irretrievably broken down. There is no need to rely on any ‘facts’ to demonstrate this.

How long does a civil partnership dissolution take?

The civil partnership dissolution process takes a minimum of 26 weeks (around 6 months). This is because there a six week wait for a Conditional Order to be issued, and a further 20 week waiting period for the Final Order.

It is important to note that this is a minimum timeframe. It could take longer to finalise a civil partnership dissolution if there are complex arrangements that need to be resolved.