Divorce Taking A Long Time

[Cloverjo]

Are any of our law people here? I would like to ask if it's usual for a simple divorce to take over a year.

I say simple because the couple have no money or property and there is no dispute over child care or maintenance. Every time the woman dares to email her solicitor to ask how things are progressing, she gets charged £15 for the time it takes him to read it and reply.

This doesn't sound right to me. It's been dragging on for too long. What can she do, please?

[TheChair]

If the divorce is that simple, why on earth are they using solicitors?
They could just fill out a form.

[TheChair]

How to get a divorce
https://www.gov.uk/divorce/overview

[Cloverjo]

Well I don't know, TheChair. I wish they had, but I guess they thought the solicitor would do a better job.

Is it too late to pull out now and do the job themselves or are they in too deep? Apparently the forms are with the court now, but the solicitor said that weeks ago.

How long should it take to get it done once the court has the forms?

[tamborine]

https://www.gov.uk/divorce/overview

diy costs £550 & done in less than 3months if both agree.

[Cloverjo]

Thank you, TheChair.
I sent her the info before she started the divorce proceedings.

So annoying, now she's tangled up with this solicitor. I'm tempted to pay him off and start again with the simple form.

[Cloverjo]

Thanks too, Tamborine. Crossed posts.

[Buenchico]

The time scale is explained here:
http://www.terry.co.uk/divorce5.html

[Cloverjo]

Thanks, Buenchico.
So there seems to be no reason why it's taking so long in this case.

Can the solicitor charge for reading an email? The woman in this divorce case has been sent various bills for up to £200 each over the year. Is this a rogue solicitor?

[Buenchico]

He sounds very much like an ordinary solicitor to me. Charging for things like reading emails seems to be standard practice with many 'traditional' solicitors. A few, more 'modern', solicitors are prepared to offer a set fee in advance but otherwise clients get clobbered with a big bill every time they have any contact with their solicitor.

It's often said that you should never say "Good morning. How are you?" to a solicitor, as he'll charge you for listening to your question, then charge you again for answering it. If he then responds with ". . . and how are you?", that's another fee for contacting you with his question, to be followed by a further one for listening to your answer. [OK, that's obviously not true but, nevertheless, it serves to illustrate the way that solicitors charge for almost everything].

[Cloverjo]

Yep, Buenchico. This solicitor sounds like one of the old-fashioned types.

I read of a solicitor or lawyer who charged for thinking about a case while in the shower.