Gay Divorce Solicitors

Civil partnership and same sex marriage is similar in ways such as both sharing property rights, pension benefits and the ability to obtain parental responsibility. However, there is a few differences between the two.

In a civil partnership, you cannot rely on adultery to end the partnership, whereas in a marriage you can. If a couple decide to end their marriage it is by obtaining a decree absolute and differs to a Civil partnership, as they would need a dissolution order. Another difference, is that in some countries a civil partnership is not legally recognized, unlike a marriage which is legally binding in all countries.

To legally end your civil partnership, you need to apply to the court for a dissolution order. You must prove to the court that your civil partnership has ‘irretrievably’ broken down and must be able to prove at least one of the following:

• Your partner has behaved unreasonably
• You and you partner have lived apart for two years and both agree to the dissolution
• You and your partner have lived apart for at least five years, if only one of you agrees to the dissolution
• Your partner deserted you at least two years ago

Like a marriage, if you have parental responsibility when your civil partnership ends, it is down to both parents to decide on who will care for the children on a day-to-day basis and come up with an agreement. It is not always easy to reach an amicable decision and like a divorce there is many different ways of receiving help in regards to children.

When entering into an agreement with a partner you may feel apprehensive and have many questions you want to ask. Here at Freeman Harris our family law solicitor’s will guide you and give as much information to give you peace of mind. For example, if you or your partner want to protect your financial and property interests we can advise you on entering a pre-civil partnership agreement.