Divorce proceedings are to be ‘de-linked’ from financial proceedings such as applications for ancillary relief, as of 19 June.
The decision was publicly announced this week, in a letter to family judges and court staff from Sir James Munby, President of the Family Division, and Kevin Sadler, Deputy Chief Executive of HM Courts & Tribunals Service. It follows a successful pilot in the south west region that reduced delays by up to two weeks.
Family law solicitor David Burrows said: ‘Money, though generally the most substantial issue, is “ancillary” (subsidiary) to divorce. The new plans will “de-link” money from divorce so that administratively a separate file will be created; though conclusion of money proceedings must still wait for the divorce to be finalised.’
In his latest blog, View from the President’s Chambers, Munby P said only a minority of divorces give rise to a money claim, and the concentration of divorce cases in a limited number of regional divorce centres was putting the administration of ancillary relief under ‘unnecessary and avoidable strains’.
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