The ‘Quickie Divorce’ Myth Busted

The divorce of Blackadder star Rowan Atkinson has sparked a lot of attention over the past few weeks due to the fact that, according to the media, his divorce supposedly took 65 seconds. However, regardless of your social status or your bank balance, divorcing in 65 seconds is a legal impossibility.

Of course, the time each divorce takes to be completed depends on various different factors and therefore all vary in length, but to comply with English law, there are procedures that everyone must adhere to. These procedures include filing a Divorce Petition, applying for Decree Nisi and finally, applying for Decree Absolute 6 weeks and 1 day after Decree Nisi has been pronounced. These stages must be completed by each and every person filing for divorce in England and will invariably be longer if you have finances to sort out.

The “65 seconds” the media are referring to is simply the moment when the Judge pronounced Decree Nisi; this does not mean that they are officially divorced as there is still the final stage of Decree Absolute.

Divorce can become complicated, especially when there are disputes over how to divide your finances and assets. Therefore, having representation that you can trust and depend upon to guide you through each stage of divorce, no matter how complicated, is key. At Vines Legal, we will aid and advise from start to finish. To discuss any legal family matter with us, call 01246 555 610 to book a free initial consultation.