This week, Partner and Head of Family at RDP Law, Marjha Golding-Evans, a Resolution member, looks at how you can work towards having a good divorce.

Good Divorce Week 2022 takes place from 28 November to 2 December and is a campaign by Resolution to raise awareness about the huge court backlogs, reminding us how we can help families resolve disputes outside of Court.

There will, sadly, always be families for whom it is appropriate or necessary to involve the Family Court, and RDP Law is here to represent you every step of the way; but this campaign highlights that if fewer cases were litigated by those who felt they had other options, it would ensure those cases that need to be resolved by the Court can be dealt with more quickly.

Choosing a good solicitor who can work with you to explore alternatives to Court is crucial; this ethos is in the Code of Practice which family law professionals like me sign up to if they join Resolution, when we pledge to work with families and individuals to resolve issues in a constructive way.

An experienced family solicitor can work to guide you and help resolve your disputes away from Court where possible. This can include:

Mediation

Using mediation to reach a compromise and conclusion works for many; your solicitor can help you narrow the issues of disagreement and guide you on how to approach it. Once you agree how to separate your finances and/or make arrangements for your child’s care, your family solicitor can then put that agreement into binding legal terms which the Court can then approve.

‘Resolution Together’

This is a way of working that allows a family solicitor to work with and advise couples jointly, and is suitable for those whose joint aim is to reach an outcome that meets their needs. With the introduction of ‘no-fault divorce’, the door has been opened to a more collaborative way to separate which suits many, but not all, separating couples.

Solicitor negotiation

Using a family solicitor doesn’t mean you have to be at loggerheads; a solicitor negotiating in a respectful and professional way on your behalf gives you peace of mind and the confidence to protect your own future, whilst avoiding the stress, cost and time of court proceedings wherever you can.

To find out more about how the expert Family team at RDP Law can assist you, whether in or out of court, email marjha.golding-evans@rdplaw.co.uk or call 01633 413500.

South Wales Argus: