Bonallack & Bishop Free Relationship Counselling

BONALLACK & BISHOP SOLICITORS PRESS RELEASE 

FREE COUNSELLING AT ANDOVER SOLICITORS

Andover Solicitors Bonallack & Bishop are pleased to announce that the Relationship People will be offering their innovative free counselling sessions for Relationships in Distress at the law firm’s legal surgery in Andover from the beginning of March.

Nigel and Jenny Heath of the Relationship People have been providing a free 20-minute consultation service in conjunction with Bonallack & Bishop's long-established free weekly legal surgery in Salisbury since April 2008, and it has proved so useful to clients that they are now taking the service to Andover to run alongside the weekly Wednesday evening surgeries held there. Both Nigel and Jenny will be available to discuss relationship difficulties and offer emotional support between 5:15 and 7pm at the first Wednesday evening surgery of every month, starting on the 4th March, at Bonallack & Bishop’s offices at 3 Eastgate House, East Street.

"We are really excited to offer this approach to those with real relationship problems," says Colin Carnegy, partner at Bonallack and Bishop. "The end of any relationship is a stressful time for everyone involved. Often we find individuals struggling to come to terms with what is happening to them, let alone being able to give instruction to a solicitor. Nigel and Jenny have enormous experience in relationship counselling and we have already referred family clients to them with considerable success. We feel strongly that our role in family cases is to solve the client's problem, which, apart from guiding them through the divorce process, also involves explaining their rights, particularly on financial matters, and advising them of the options open to them. This may include the possibility of saving their relationship, or at least helping them deal with the relationship breakdown in as sensible and stress-free a way as possible. As a firm we are already strong supporters of the much less adversarial Collaborative Law approach to divorce, with two of our family team trained as Collaborative Lawyers. We feel that this additional service at our regular evening surgeries fits in perfectly with that approach."

Jason Copp, who runs the popular legal surgery every Wednesday evening in Andover, says “Having seen the real difference that Nigel and Jenny have been able to make to both clients and non-clients at our Salisbury surgery, I am thrilled that they are able to come and share their knowledge in Andover as well. The ethos behind their practice ties in strongly with our aim to offer as much support as possible to our clients at a difficult time.”

Nigel Heath from the Relationship People remarks, "Having met with the firm's family law team in Andover, we are delighted to extend our 'Relationships in Distress' free consultation to their legal surgery also. Our service will be on a drop-in basis, just like the surgery, so no appointment is necessary.”

Jenny commented, "It gives individuals or couples the chance to talk to us in a neutral environment to find out how we can help them work through any relationship issues. Our approach fits in really well with the sensitive and refreshing attitude towards family problems shown by Bonallack and Bishop."

In the meantime, Nigel and Jenny have produced some FREE tips available from www.bishopslaw.com/relationships to help couples work on improving their communication. They are available to coach people to be clear on the outcome they truly want and help them to reduce the stress of relationship breakdown.

For further information or advice, please contact Jason Copp at Bonallack & Bishop on 01264 364433 or Nigel Heath of the Relationship People on 0800 298 5938.

Testimonials 

"Thank you for your superb interventions when my husband and I visited you recently. It was the best intervention we’ve ever had, because of the sophistication and accuracy of your insights, your practical advice, and the safe space you were able to create with us."

"I feel so relieved to find something so wonderful that I would like to see you weekly! I still don’t know if my husband and I are going to split or not; what I do really know is that we will be OK no matter what. What a relief. It’s beyond words to say. Blessings to you both." S. Garfield

"I would like to thank you for your time this morning. I'm sorry I must have sounded so angry, which is borne primarily of the suppression of so many feelings and frustration at the catch-22 situation we have found ourselves in. You certainly gave us much food for thought and I really hope that it isn't too late for us, I most definitely want to resolve our differences because we have shared so much. However, I realise and accept that this might not be the case and believe that you have equipped me to enjoy a better future. My mantra to myself as I walked our dog across the heath this morning was 'This is the first day of the rest of my life', and I sincerely believe this now, thank you." S.Marchant

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Family Law Team

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For FREE 30 minutes legal advice on family law issues and divorce, contact our Family Solicitors:

Salisbury Office:
Colin Carnegy
view family Solicitor profile
  tel: Salisbury (01722) 424427
email: Colin Carnegy

Amanda Trappes-Lomax (previously Harper) 
view Legal Executive profile
  tel: Salisbury (01722) 424429
email: Amanda Trappes-Lomax

Andover Office:
Kate Scammell
  tel:  Andover (01264) 364433
email: Kate Scammell

 Amesbury Office:
Kate Scammell 
tel: Amesbury (01980) 622992
email: Kate Scammell

Verwood Office:
tel: Verwood (01202) 8344501980) 622992
  (01980) 622992
  (01980) 622992
  8344508888344508

Family Solicitors - Getting a Divorce

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Grounds for Divorce

To get a divorce you must show that your marriage 'has broken down irretrievably' for one of the following 5 reasons:

  • Your partner’s adultery. You cannot rely on this ground for divorce if you have lived together for more than 6 months after discovering the latest act of adultery – please note that this 6 month period can be made up of shorter periods of co-habitation totalling 6 months.
  • Your partner’s unreasonable behaviour.
  • You have not seen your partner for 2 years or more.
  • You have been separated from your partner for at least 2 years and they agree to the divorce. Separation does not necessarily mean that husband and wife must live in separate houses. It is possible to live in the same house and enjoy completely separate lives although the Court will look carefully at this.
  • You have been separated from your partner for at least 5 years.

Don't forget - our family law team offer FREE 30 minutes legal advice   

Divorce Procedure

You cannot get a divorce until you have been married a year. The person applying for the divorce is known as the ‘Petitioner’ and the person they divorce the ‘Respondent’.

  • Our Matrimonial Solicitors recommend divorce is dealt with in as friendly a fashion as possible. Therefore, depending on your wishes, we often suggest starting the divorce procedure by writing to your spouse telling them you are planning a divorce. Often we agree grounds for divorce at this stage which helps taking the heat out of the situation. In getting legal advice make sure you contact a specialist divorce Solicitor.
  • The first document to complete is the Divorce ‘Petition’ which needs sending to the Divorce County Court. The Divorce Petition contains basic details of you, your spouse, your marriage, any children and the grounds on which the divorce is based. It is accompanied by the original Marriage Certificate and a Court Fee (currently £300 but which may be free if you are on a low income) and if there are children under the age of 18, a separate form setting out proposed arrangements for your children.
  • The County Court sends the Divorce  Petition to your spouse who should complete and return a form sent by the Court indicating whether or not they intend to consent to the divorce. Contested divorces are very rare these days.
  • Our divorce Solicitors will then prepare a sworn Statement in support of your Divorce Petition and apply for what is known as Decree Nisi. To make the Decree Nisi (in effect a provisional divorce) the Court must be satisfied that you are entitled to a divorce. At this stage the Court will also consider arrangements for your children to ensure  there are proper plans for who the children will live with, where they are educated and contact arrangements with thenon resident  parent. At Decree Nisi stage the Court will also decide who should pay the costs of the divorce if you and your partner have not agreed who should pay.
  • 6 weeks and a day after Decree Nisi you can apply for the Decree to be made Absolute which legally ends the marriage. Often, however, our divorce solicitors will advise that it is better to wait until all financial matters have been settled before applying for Decree Absolute. The court fee for Decree Absolute is £40.
  • Unless, in exceptional cases, the divorce is contested or the Court is unhappy about any information they receive, there should be no reason for you to attend Court at any stage.
  • Although every case varies and often the Decree Absolute is delayed to allow financial matters to be resolved, a  straightforward divorce takes on average between 4 and 5 months from beginning to Decree Absolute.
  • Your Will our matrimonial solicitors strongly recommend that you amend your Will once your divorce is finalized. After Decree Absolute any arrangement in your Will for your former spouse to receive property or to be appointed by your Will as Executor is invalid. So you may  wish to ensure you know who will receive your property if you  die and to ensure you make proper provision for your family. Your divorce solicitor can pass your details to our experienced Wills Solicitors. 

 

Contact our Divorce Solicitors

 

Our divorce Solicitors can see you in our Salisbury, Andover, Verwood, Warminster or Amesbury offices. Our solicitors also regularly act for clients in divorce cases in Sherborne, Gillingham, Romsey, Shaftesbury, Ringwood, Fordingbridge, Frome and Westbury.

For legal advice, contact the expert Matrimonial Solicitors in our Salisbury, Andover, Verwood,  or Amesbury offices today.

Family Solicitors

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Divorce and Family Solicitors

Our Divorce and Family Solicitors understand that divorce and separation cause enormous stress. We strongly recommend early legal advice from an expert Family Solicitor to safeguard your position.

Our Divorce and Family Law practice is the largest in Salisbury, Andover and Amesbury with unrivalled experience, providing legal advice to clients throughout Wiltshire, Hampshire and Dorset and further afield. We have specialist family lawyers including members of the Resolution (previously Solicitors Family Law Association) Panel and Law Society Children Panel. We also have two trained Collaborative lawyers.

Our highly experienced family solicitors provide legal advice  on all aspects of family law including:

If your marriage has broken down and you  need  a divorce, you are considering separation or you need legal advice on other family law problems, our family solicitors can see you in our Salisbury, Andover, Verwood, Warminster or Amesbury offices and aim to deal with all issues swiftly and with discretion.  

Our Family Solicitors work closely with other teams in the firm when advising on related property issues and changing your will

Family law and divorce – more information:

For legal advice from an expert family and divorce solicitor, contact our Salisbury, Andover, Warminster, Verwood or Amesbury offices today.