"Divorce Day"

It is a recent phenomenon that the first Monday in January has become known as ‘divorce day’.  In 2018 that day in fact falls on Tuesday 2nd January as the first Monday is of course New Year’s Day.

We are often asked whether or not this is true and if January really is the busiest time to be a divorce lawyer and the sad answer is, yes it is.

From my experience of meeting with clients in January, it is not a sudden decision to get divorced.  It is in fact true of most of my clients that they have been considering the future of their marriage for some time with many deciding to ‘put it off’ until after Christmas.

The festive season is marketed as a happy and joyous time and, for many, it of course will be.  However, the combination of spending a long period of concentrated time together, feeling compelled to invite ‘the in-laws’ over and the financial pressures that this time of year brings, can all increase feelings of unhappiness.

Choosing to end your marriage is one of the hardest decisions you will make, particularly so if you have children to consider.  That is why it is important that you should first look at your options before you make any hasty decisions.   You should think about the possibility of reconciliation and seeking supporting from family therapists or mediators who may be able to help you smooth over the difficulties.  Everything is magnified when you feel a sense of unhappiness or discontent and so it is worth stepping back and taking some time to yourself before you tell your partner you wish to separate. 

Before you do sit down with your husband or wife, my advice is to meet with a local family solicitor for an initial meeting to discuss your circumstances.  Such meetings are confidential and you can decide whether to instruct them or whether you want to take some more time to think things over – there is no obligation to continue. 

You may find our guide to the first meeting helpful to prepare you for the things you should be asking during that initial discussion.