We have previously written about the progress of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill, which if passed will introduce no fault divorce in England and Wales. The Bill was dropped as a result of the general election, but has now been re-introduced in the House of Lords. Its First Reading was on 7 January 2020. The second reading of the Bill, which will involve a full debate, is scheduled for 5 February 2020.
The Divorce, Dissolution and Separation bill introduces changes to divorce law which will enable an individual to apply for a divorce without having to accuse the other party of wrong-doing or without having to wait for a lengthy period before they are able to divorce. Instead there will be a provision to allow the parties to make a statement that there has been an irretrievable breakdown of the marriage. This may be a joint statement.
We will continue to update on the progress of the Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill, and also the Domestic Abuse Bill, as they travel through Parliament.
If you require advice or information on divorce or any other aspect of family law you can contact our family team: Mitali Zakaria, Somia Siddiq, Priyanka Chakravarty or Alexandra Wilks.