Financial matters

Before you can apply to court for a financial order, you must attend a Mediation Information and Assessment Meeting (MIAM).  It is in this meeting you will discuss your situation with a family mediator and ascertain whether there could be a resolution in the future through family mediation.

If this is not an option, an application is then made to the court along with an application fee.  The court generally issues the application within a few days of receiving it and each party will then receive a copy of the original form submitted to court, along with a Notice of First Appointment (which will include details of the date and time of the first appointment and the dates for the parties to file at court and exchange documents) and a Notice of Response to First Appointment.

The first appointment is normally held 12 to 16 weeks after filing the original paperwork with the court.  It is important that you are adequately prepared for your first appointment and that you allow plenty of time to collate the correct information and documentation.

A detailed statement (known as a Form E) relating to your financial circumstances must be submitted no later than 35 days before the first appointment.  Further information must be supplied no later than 14 days before the first appointment, including a detailed statement of the issues between you and your former partner, a chronology which sets out the significant dates in the relationship, confirmation of any further information required from your former partner and an estimate of costs.

It is usual for both yourself and your former partner to attend the first appointment, unless there are particular circumstances.  This appointment is normally conducted by a district judge and will use this time to review your situation, the issues in dispute and how to proceed.  In doing so, the judge will decide what, if any, further paperwork and documentation may need to be produced and whether any valuations should take place before moving to the Financial Dispute Resolution hearing.

The Financial Dispute Resolution hearing is usually six to eight weeks following the first appointment.  No later than seven days before the hearing, you must file at court details of all settlement offers and responses.  After the hearing, these documents are returned to you and not retained on the court file.

The purpose of the hearing is so that the Judge can explain to you and your former partner the likely outcome if the case were to proceed to a final hearing.  In this way you will have an idea of what decision the Court would be likely to impose upon you if you cannot agree matters. You will be given the opportunity to discuss and negotiate with your former partner to try and come to an agreement and avoid the costs of a final hearing.

There are a number of areas where the judge will give a clear indication about what is likely to happen on major issues such as housing arrangements, whether any property should be sold, whether there should be a pension sharing order and whether a clean break agreement is appropriate.

At the end of the hearing, if you have agreed a financial settlement, the court may make a consent order setting out your agreement.

If no agreement is reached, the court then confirms a final hearing date and the dates for filing supporting evidence.

Evidence that is required includes narrative statements on details such as your income, earning capacity and financial needs, as well as a full, up to date financial disclosure.  These documents must be filed by you at least 14 days before the final hearing, as well as serving your former partner with your proposals.

During the final hearing, you may be called upon to give evidence and be cross-examined.  It is crucial therefore that you are completely honest during the whole process up until this point, and you may feel it necessary to appoint barristers to represent you.