KJ Smith Solicitors - Specialists in Family Law
Professional Family Law Advice in London and Reading

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Civil Partnerships Solicitors London, Marlow, High Wycombe, Reading, Maidenhead, Windsor, Henley-on-Thames

If you are in a Civil Partnership and the relationship breaks down you can apply to court for the Civil Partnership to be dissolved, much in the same way as someone applying to court for a divorce.

The procedure for dissolution of a Civil Partnership is the same as for divorce but the language used is different. For example, a "petition for divorce" is referred to as an "application for dissolution"

Civil Partnerships are applicable to same-sex couples and it is important to understand that couples in a Civil Partnership have the same legal rights as married couples. This means that if you are in a Civil Partnership and the relationship breaks down, you have the right to apply for financial provision. Couples with children also have the right to resolve matters relating to their children in exactly the same way as married couples.

To petition for the dissolution of a Civil Partnership, the parties involved must have been in a Civil Partnership for more than one year immediately preceding the presentation of the petition. The ground for dissolution is the irretrievable breakdown of the relationship, and the petitioner, that is the person filing a petition for dissolution, must use one of four different facts to support this statement.

  1. That the other party has behaved in an unreasonable way.
  2. That the other party has deserted the petitioner for 2 years.
  3. That the parties have lived apart from each other for a continuous period of at least 2 years immediately preceding the presentation of a petition and the other party gives their consent.
  4. That the parties have lived apart for a continuous period of at least 5 years preceding the presentation of a petition.

Some couples choose to enter into a Civil Partnership Agreement before entering into a Civil Partnership. This works in a similar way to prenuptial agreements in marriage and can be very helpful in that it seeks to agree from the outset how matters such as finances will be resolved should the relationship break down.

At K J Smith Solicitors we are experienced in handling all matters relating to Civil Partnerships, ranging from the straightforward through to the highly complex.

Please contact K J Smith Solicitors today on 01491 630000 (Henley on Thames) or 020 7070 0330 (London) or e mail info@kjsmith.co.uk. We offer a free initial 45 minute appointment to give you the opportunity to meet us and find out more before deciding if you wish to proceed in instructing us to act on your behalf.