How can I speed up my divorce?

[RollerCola]

I asked my solicitor to file for divorce last September. My exh and I agreed all the details, sorted finances, child contact agreed, all amicable.

My solicitor told me it was a very straightforward divorce and shouldn't take longer than 4-5 mths. But it's now July, 10 months later and I still don't have a decree nisi or even a date for it.

My solicitor kept on telling me the court was holding it up as they had a huge backlog but I've emailed the court directly twice and each time they said they were waiting for the solicitor to return documents. I signed the decree nisi application in May, and the solicitor said (when I finally got to speak to them at the beginning of July) they'd definitely returned it to the court.

Each of them are blaming the other and I just desperately want to be divorced. What can I do to chase it up? Is it best to chase the solicitor or the court? I'm getting fobbed off by both of them at the moment.

If you have a solicitor the Court will prefer to deal with them directly. It's a pet hate of mine when clients don't believe me and then call the Court for an update.

That said, if the Court are blaming your solicitor (but beware - Court staff can be sneaky!) I would lodge a formal complaint with your solicitor. Next time you call, and they are 'unavailable', ask to speak to their supervisor......

I filed mine myself. It did take quite a long time to be processed and when I rang the court they told me there was a huge backlog.

Thanks for your replies. I actually contacted the court by phone today (probably shouldn't have done this but I'm getting nowhere with my solicitor) and they seemed happy enough to give me an update. The application that I signed at my solicitors in May was only received by the court last Monday 21st July, conveniently just after I spent the previous week leaving messages with my solicitor and them not ringing me back. After I finally got through to them they assured me that the application had definitely gone to the court.

Pretty annoyed that it took them 2 months to send it and only then because I was chasing it.

Anyway the court tell me it will be processed this week & I can expect a decree nisi date within the next month.

Just want it all to be over

Hope you hear soon. I filed on my own mid June. I had application for decree nisi last week. Just waiting to hear now and hope judge rubber stamps it!

I filed for mine in march. Also told it would take 4-5 months. My stbxh was only served papers a week ago

Finally had a decree nisi date through for 3 weeks time. Feel so much better now, although it'll still be another couple of months for the absolute.

Have you any finances to sort out or have you already done it?

Solicitors advise not to apply for the absolute until you have a consent/court order for finances.

Some judges won't even allow the absolute without this being done.

Yes all the finances were sorted out back in feb. I got my solicitor to create a separation order which details the finances & the arrangements for the children. I understand he's going to convert that into a finance order to send to the court once the decree nisi has been issued. Does that sound right?

Yes that sounds right