Divorce is the legal process that formally ends a marriage. In England and Wales the process now operates under the no-fault divorce framework introduced in 2022.
A divorce application can be made by one spouse individually or jointly by both spouses. The court process follows a structured series of stages before the marriage is legally dissolved.
The process usually begins with a divorce application submitted to the court. After the application is issued, there is a statutory reflection period before a conditional order can be granted. The final order legally ends the marriage.
Divorce itself does not automatically resolve financial issues or arrangements for children. Separate agreements or court orders may address property division, financial support, and parenting arrangements.
Learn more about dividing assets during divorce or child arrangements.