Is online divorce on its way?
More than 110,000 divorce proceedings were begun in 2015. Recent media reports have suggested that couples will soon be able to file for online divorce later this year under plans that could also open the way for the abolition of fault-based grounds for ending marriage. The aim is to remove some of the bureaucracy from often stressful and lengthy proceedings and simplify wieldy administrative processes.
The MoJ have more recently announced that Nottingham’s East Midlands regional divorce centre is to host a pilot scheme allowing certain proceedings for a matrimonial order to be filled in via the web. The pilot scheme will still require a paper copy to be sent to the court in accordance with the current procedure.
There is no commitment to any date for when a full online system will be operational for all. And it is unlikely that this will happen anytime soon given the extent of the work involved in achieving a modernised digitalised system.
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