Breaking a marital bond is not easy. If at all a married couple decides to terminate their relationship, it is only if the marriage has irrevocably broken down. And, this is the only ground on which divorce is permitted in the UK also. This can be proved by any of the 5 reasons.

Adultery can be used as a valid ground for a divorce, if the partner indulges in sexual contact with a person of the opposite sex outside marital boundary. Majority of the divorces in the UK are sought on this ground. And, majority of the petitioners are women. However, divorce has to be filed within 6 months of collecting concrete evidential proof of the relationship.

Adultery and unreasonable behaviour of the spouse are the two major reasons used by the divorcing couples in the UK. The other reasons are avoided for they involve an unnecessary time snag. If a couple divorces on either of these two grounds, the respondent is usually ordered to bear the cost of divorce by the court.

The other reasons for which a divorce is granted are; Desertion by the spouse for a period of more than 2 years followed by no attempts of reconciliation since then. Separation for 2 years but requiring the consent of the spouse for a divorce Separation for 5 years which does not require spousal consent for the divorce.

Once the couple establish the reason for their marital breakdown, initiation of the divorce process is just a petition away.

The petitioner (usually the woman) files for a divorce and pays the court fee. The petition has to be accompanied by the original marriage certificate. This certificate is retained by the court. It is necessary that the petitions contain only true facts. It is also desirable that a draft of the petition be sent to the respondent before submitting it to the court. This enables reaching an agreement over the particulars cited.

Upon filing the petition, the respondent is sent a copy of it along with a ‘statement of arrangement’ made for the children. This is the juncture at which majority of the divorce processes get delayed. For, the legally worded petition though self explanatory makes lay men apprehensive. They seek a solicitor’s advice before committing themselves by either filling the form or inking their signature.

Especially confounding is the prayer that appears at the end of the petition. The prayer mentions the financial aspects of the divorce like the ancillary relief, property settlement, etc.

After the respondent completes and signs the acknowledgement form, a copy of it is sent to the petitioner. This enables the filing of an application for the ‘decree nisi.’ The application is followed by a court issued certificate, declaring the date of pronunciation of the ‘decree nisi.’

6 weeks after the pronunciation of the decree nisi, the petitioner can apply for turning the decree nisi absolute. The marital partners are granted the privilege of reconciling and calling off the proceedings any time before the granting of the ‘decree absolute.’

Obtaining a divorce in the UK does not necessitate a court appearance by either of the marital partners until and unless the divorce gets contested. Contested divorces are acrimonious, the bitterness of which harms marital partners and their children for a long time, probably a lifetime. Many measures are promoted to prevent such an occurrence.

The usual issues for contention are either the children or marital property settlements. Mediators help prevent conflicts and promote an amicable understanding. They play a strictly neutral role and do not offer legal advice to any party. Collaborative family law is another concept, (borrowed from the US) that is gaining much popularity in the UK. Family lawyers help the divorcing couples to reach a settlement outside the court rooms. Counsellors and child specialists also help them out, if the need arises.

Though, all divorcing couples might not appreciate the help offered by a mediator or collaborative law, they do realise the importance of an amicable split. And, majority of the divorcing couples are terminating their marital relationship without contesting their divorce.