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Surge in Divorce - Post Lockdown?

Quite a few Family Lawyers have recently been predicting that once the lockdown starts to ease that there will be a surge in applications for divorce. Certainly I believe that this is going to be the case.

A lot of people have put their own relationship difficulties on hold, particularly given the fact that it has been difficult to move out of the family home and find alternative accommodation. However, if a marriage or relationship is already showing some signs of strain, then working from home together, trying to home school together and effectively spending 24 hours, 7 days a week in each others company, for some couples, has been too much.

Whilst you can issue divorce proceedings, the practicalities of physically separating and resolving finances and children issues have, in the main, been placed on hold.

As the Government has now eased certain restrictions, making it easier now to seek and view alternative accommodation, some people now returning to their work place, and in certain areas of the country, some children returning to school, I very much feel that there is going to be an increase in couples instructing Family Lawyers to commence divorce proceedings.

This will have an impact. A sudden surge of applications all within a few weeks of each other, will ultimately lead to a back-log in the Courts with dealing with the paperwork and applications. Traditionally, January/February after the Christmas break sees a minor surge each year and I very much feel that towards the end of lockdown we are going to see a similar spike in the number of applications.

For more information contact Judith O'Brien in our Family/Divorce department via email or phone on 01772 220022. Alternatively send any question through to Forbes Solicitors via our online Contact Form.

Learn more about our Family/Divorce department here

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