Ending a marriage well is important – do it kindly and don’t make it worse with a bad ending.
The reasons marriages end in divorce are many and various and often a couple won’t agree why their relationship has ended, even when they do agree it is over.
The wording of the divorce petition may feel really important – it gives the official reason for the break-down – and unless you have been separated two years and agree to divorce, or have been separated five years, when no agreement is needed –you are left with a fault based petition. This means adultery or unreasonable behaviour on the part of the respondent. The petition only needs to have enough detail to get a divorce and ideally the person reading it will recognise the incidents as a fair account of events. The best petitions are rather sad and very short, but there does have to be enough for the judge to grant a decree within the rules.
If you can’t agree why you are getting divorced – then you can mediate the petition grounds with us at Focus Mediation and end your relationship well and with kindness. Most people just want to sort things out and we facilitate that at a modest cost, which you share (that is if you don’t qualify for legal aid). And remember, the reasons for divorce normally have no effect on your financial settlement or arrangements for your children