This forum was recommended to me at the chat because I might get better answers here a poster recommended.
My issue:
My parents separated and remained separated for a long time and they were both apathetic when it came to legal things and they never divorced. My father was an alcoholic when I was small and during their marriage. He stayed an alcoholic too.
Then something came out. He was in debt.
My mother applied for legal aid in 2017. 6 years ago. She was granted the legal aid quickly. She began the divorce procedure. She used to get me to help her with her forms. Also for reading her letters. She knows how to read. I don't know, I suppose in case she missed anything in the letters.
She was provided with a hearing date in 2019 and she was advised the family home might have a court order for selling from the judge. She was approaching 70 at the time and she found that daunting. Without talking to anyone she asked her solicitor to stop the divorce.
It's been in that state sense than. There was a notice of trail made in 2019 but then she wanted it to stop.
My understanding of the situation now:
- the application is sitting on a back shelf of some court clerks office. Her legal aid solicitor continues to write one liner letters requesting for updates on her 'ex' husbands debt and on the housing issue.
- my understanding is that the application is in the court and its there for the other side to follow through with it, at some point if they so wish. It's been 4 years since the notice of trial went in. It's really not going to happen now.
- there was a deal struck up outside of the divorce and through a different solicitor to save the family home.
- my mother was advised twice already by debt advisors that the next step is the divorce.
- my mother is not really engaging with her solicitor any more. She won't pick up the phone and give her solicitor the go ahead on the divorce. When I asked her a few times since last year, about the divorce she dismisses me with a tale saying things like - he needs the divorce for marrying the new girlfriend. He has a new partner. But there is no marriage on the cards for them now or ever because she is still married and she is also sick. But in my mother's story, she claimed that she was walking down the aisle already. In my mother's mind she things the father is going to persue the divorce. But none of this is happening.
It's been 6 years of a journey and all of it has been a shambles with no end sight whatsoever. This is wrong. On so many levels. At this stage with not even a hearing date, it's a waste of resources. She me a letter a few weeks ago and I couldn't bear to look at it and help her any more.