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You are a family law solicitor in Hepple, Burrell & Young’s family law department. Today’s date is 3 January 2019.
You have a new client, Helena Wilson, who has come to the firm seeking advice. Helena attends for some initial advice concerning her relationship with her husband, David, and her instructions and advice given are recorded in an attendance note – Divorce Case Study Initial Attendance Note.
Think about Helena’s instructions and answer the following questions:
- Has the marriage irretrievably broken down?
- Which of the five facts would you choose to base a divorce petition on? Why?
- Are there any other steps which Helena could take at this stage?
A client care letter was sent to Helena – Divorce Case Study Client Care Letter. Look carefully and consider whether all the client care requirements have been met.
Helena then telephones the firm for advice – Divorce Case Study Telephone Attendance Note – and then drops in her marriage certificate – Divorce Case Study Marriage Certificate.
Your supervisor asks you to draft the divorce petition– the form can be found by following this link:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/divorce-and-civil-partnership-dissolution-forms
Compare your attempt with the divorce petition from the case file – Divorce Case Study Petition.
David telephones the firm to say that he will not defend the proceedings and returns his acknowledgment of service – Divorce Case Study Acknowledgement of Service.
Following the acknowledgement of service, the rest of the divorce proceedings progress smoothly to decree nisi – Divorce Case Study Documents to Decree Absolute.