Family law expert voices reservations on divorce law reform

Plans to reform divorce law to allow ‘no-fault’ divorces, aimed at reducing conflict within families but also allowing a minimum timeframe of six months for the whole process, have been greeted with reservations by family law experts.

Carolyn Green, head of family law in Cheltenham for Harrison Clark Rickerbys, said: “I don’t entirely welcome this, because some people find it important to be able to apportion blame, so the truth of the breakdown can be reflected in court documents. There should be a choice.

“This is probably overdue for some people – it has been talked about since I started practising 32 years ago – and it will help some clients who don’t want to lay blame. It will prevent contested divorces but these are extremely rare anyway, and it will no doubt win votes too.

“Family law reform in 1996 was the last time new social legislation in this area was brought into effect – no blame divorce was part of that, piloted for a year, but then found to be more expensive and shelved.”