If you live in Middlesbrough and are considering getting divorced, you may be confused about where to start. There are plenty of divorce solicitors in Middlesbrough but how do you decide who to choose?
Your first step should be to speak to anyone you know that have been divorced to discuss their experience of their divorce solicitor. You could also have a look online to see which divorce solicitors in Middlesbrough have been recommended.
At Macks, we have built up a reputation based on excellent client service and expertise and many of our clients come to us based on personal recommendations. We know the importance of having experts with plenty of experience in this field on your side to help you through the complexities of the divorce procedure at what is likely to be a very difficult time for you and certainly a time of change and transition.
In 2009 (the most recent statistics available), there were 113,949 divorces in England and Wales. That’s 10.5 people divorcing per 1000 married people in the country. People in their late twenties had the highest rate of divorce but the mean age at divorce was 44 years old for men and 41.5 years old for women.
Of the divorces granted in 2009, the median duration of marriages was 11.4 years and just under half of the couples getting a divorce had at least one child aged under 16.
Coming to a divorce agreement is likely to be highly emotionally charged already but can be further complicated by having to come to an agreement over arrangements for children, property and finances.
A woman whose husband left her and their children was worried when he stopped paying his share of the mortgage on their house. She could not afford to pay the full mortgage and was worried that they would have to move out to a much smaller house, which would be extremely disruptive to the children. However, after consulting a solicitor, she was able to come to an agreement with her husband as part of their divorce that he would pay child support and that she and the children could stay in the house.
If you and your partner are joint owners of your home, you both have the right to stay in the house and return to it unless you have been excluded by a court order. If your partner becomes violent, you can apply for a court order which means they have to stay away.
If you are not listed as a joint owner but can prove that you have an interest in the house (for example, that you have contributed towards the mortgage), you may have the right to remain in or return to the home.
If you do not have an interest in the property, you may be given notice to leave and you should seek legal advice as soon as possible if you want to stay in the property, particularly for the benefit of your children.
As well as being one of the biggest firms of divorce solicitors in Middlesbrough, we have other expert departments and if you decide to sell your house, our Residential Property team can give you help and advice on this.
Another major issue that is often problematic in divorces is child contact arrangements and it is important to have an experienced solicitor with expertise in this area on your side. If one parent moves out, they may later request a court order for contact with the children. It is usually in the best interests of the children to have contact with both parents and it is definitely in their best interests to be kept out of quarrels. If you cannot come to an agreement, you can put a short-term plan in place to be reviewed later. Any arrangement should take into consideration the age and routine of the children and what is in their best interests. This means that contact arrangements will vary depending on the situation and there is no formula for working out what the arrangements should be.
You may also wish to change your will as part of the divorce proceedings. Our Wills department can discuss this with you if you wish.
Your solicitor should respond to your calls and letters and should keep you up-to-date on the progress of your case. You can expect information provided by your solicitor to be accurate and easy to understand for them to show that they care about your case. You should not have to suffer unnecessary delays or long periods where your solicitor does not reply to your calls. If you are unhappy with the solicitor you have chosen, you can change them at any time. You can just choose a different solicitor and they will request for your file to be transferred. As one of the best divorce solicitors in Middlesbrough, Macks takes pride in the service provided to customers.
