To dissolve a civil partnership, civil partners will go through the same process as divorce, except the terminology will be different.
Dissolution of Civil Partnership:
A civil partnership is a legal union between two people which gives them similar rights and responsibilities to married couples. Originally introduced in 2004 to allow same-sex couples to register their relationship legally, the civil partnership was extended in 2018 to include heterosexual couples.
Before you apply to dissolve your civil partnership
Before you can apply to dissolve your civil partnership in England & Wales, you must have been in your civil partnership for at least a year. You will need your original civil partnership certificate or a certified copy as this will be lodged at court when the process is started. There are also certain jurisdictional requirements as to habitual residence and/or domicile.
Current grounds for dissolution of civil partnership
Currently, the law only provides one basis for the dissolution of a civil partnership, as for a divorce, namely that the civil partnership “has broken down irretrievably”. There is no such thing as ‘irreconcilable differences’ under English law. However, to prove that the civil partnership has “broken down irretrievably”, you have to establish one or more of the following ‘facts’; that
- your civil partner has behaved in such a way that you cannot reasonably be expected to live with them (unreasonable behaviour);
- your civil partner has deserted you for a continuous period of at least two years immediately preceding the presentation of the dissolution petition (desertion);
- you have lived apart for a continuous period of at least two years immediately preceding the presentation of the dissolution petition and your civil partner consents to the dissolution being granted (2 years separation by consent);
- you have lived apart for a continuous period of at least five years immediately preceding the presentation of the dissolution petition (5 years separation).
Please Note: Unlike divorce, “adultery” is not a ground for dissolution of civil partnership.
Preparation of the dissolution of civil partnership papers
Whilst it is possible to apply for a dissolution online, on a “do-it-yourself” basis, obtaining advice from a specialist family law practice will ensure that the dissolution petition and other documents are properly completed. The clerks at the court can help, but they cannot give you legal advice on your rights nor on how to complete the civil partnership dissolution documents. Problems can arise if the forms are incorrectly completed.
Filing the civil partnership dissolution petition
The dissolution process is started by one civil partner (then called the “petitioner”) lodging a document called a dissolution petition with the court, along with the relevant court fees. The petition sets out the details of the civil partnership, the parties, any children and the grounds for the dissolution.
If there are children, you will also need a Statement of Arrangements for Children detailing who the children live with, where they go to school etc. The court “issues” the petition, stamping it and sending a copy to your civil partner (then called the “respondent”).
Acknowledgement of service
When the respondent receives the dissolution petition, they are required to fill in a form, called an acknowledgement of service, to confirm that they have received it and send this back to the court within 7 days. The court forwards a copy to the petitioner.
Contested and uncontested dissolution
If the respondent agrees to the dissolution, it will be called undefended or uncontested. If the respondent does not agree, then it will be called a defended or contested dissolution and the respondent will have a further 21 days to file an Answer at court.
Confirming the petition
The petitioner swears an affidavit (the legal term for a statement under oath), confirming the contents of the petition, which is then sent to the court.
Conditional order
Like a divorce, the procedure for dissolution of a civil partnership is two stages, but instead of decree nisi and decree absolute as in a divorce, there is first a conditional order followed by a final order.
The court checks the documents and, if it is an uncontested dissolution of civil partnership and the documents are approved, will send out a certificate of entitlement to a dissolution. This process is called making a conditional order. A conditional order means that the court is satisfied that the reasons are sufficient for dissolution to be granted. It does not mean that the civil partnership has been dissolved.
Final order
Six weeks and a day after the date of the conditional order, the petitioner can apply for the “final order” which is the legal document that finally ends the civil partnership. If the petitioner does not apply, then after a further three months, the respondent can apply. The final order is an important document and should be kept in a safe place.