How best to settle financial arrangements

[Noregrets78]

We are mid-way through a divorce, and I'm keen to get the ball rolling on settling the finances. We had a date set (Friday) for exchange of information between our solicitors, on a voluntary basis, as requested by his solicitor. I gathered all my stuff together... and then got a call to say he hadn't dropped any information off, so there was no date for when we might go ahead.

I've tried talking to him, and he says he 'hasn't decided yet' whether or not he will pass the financial information to his solicitor. The frustrating thing is that it's all sitting on the dining room table at the moment (we're still in the same house). I presume me taking it to his solicitor myself is out of the question...

My solicitor has now asked what I would like to do next, and has mentioned that we can apply to the court to make his disclose the inforamtion, rather than it being voluntary. I presume this would kick off the full court process for settling finances, which I presume would cost thousands (even though we haven't got that much to sort), and be extremely stressful.

Not sure which way to go... is court that bad, or am I imagining it awful? If I do start that process am I able to stop it if he starts playing ball? Is my solicitor just trying to push me down the most expensive option???!

Any thoughts gratefully appreciated ta

If I were your solicitor I'd be telling the other side to get their Form E exchanged by x date, on the basis that if they don't, you'll lodge your application to the court.

9 times out of 10, by issuing proceedings, the matter is settled at the first appointment, so although there are extra costs in terms of the issue fee and time spent at court for the first appointment, often it doesn't get to the stage of racking up tens of thousands, and at least lthings will be settled at an earlier stage than if your husband keeps messing about and not co operating.

Thanks - I'll try passing that message directly to my husband as we live in the same house! Although he keeps vanishing elsewhere so I can't quite pin him down... If i have no joy I'll ask my solicitor to write the letter.

Judging by your response I need to be less worried about things going through court, on the basis it hopefully won't be that complicated.

If we do apply to court - can I stop things at any time I want if he starts wanting to agree things between ourselves? Or am I stuck in the system once its in the hands of the court?

Ta