www.altoelectrical.co.uk Qualified male and female electricians, fully insured and NICEIC “Part P” registered. Available for all your electrical requirements.
Alto Electrical is a family run local business, offering a friendly and professional service that you can depend on, from contact to completion. If you would like any electrical advice or would like a free consultation, please call the office and we will be happy to help.
• Lighting • Fault Finding • Fuseboards/ Consumer Units • Immersion Heater Installation/Repair • Landlord Reports / Safety Checks • Rewires • Smoke Alarms • Storage Heating • Additional Sockets • Emergency Call outs • Electrical Installation Condition Report (Periodic Testing)
Call us on 01778 772 595 or 01780 693595 DB Alto Electric 1/4 Page Advert FEBRUARY 18.indd 1
17/02/2018
The New Face of Divorce If you sadly reach the conclusion that your marriage is irretrievably broken down, unlike what happens in many jurisdictions around the world, you can’t just make a mutual decision to start divorce proceedings. In this country, you still have to apportion blame or wait for a minimum of two years from separation. Even then, you need the consent of the other spouse without which you have to wait five years. No fault divorce was first introduced by the Family Law Act 1996 but was later considered unworkable and repealed. There has been a movement for reform ever since and demands for change mounted after the Tini Owens case last year. Mrs Owens had filed for divorce on the grounds of her husband’s unreasonable behaviour but she failed, right up to the Supreme Court, to provide 18:00 sufficient evidence of that behaviour being unreasonable enough, and the divorce was thrown out. She has had to wait for the expiry of the full five years. Mrs Owens’s situation was highly unusual and it is very rare for divorce proceedings to be contested. Nonetheless, it is not a good start to ending the marriage when you have to raise allegations of unpalatable behaviour which often sets the tone for the rest of the case. The new law is likely to require that just one of the spouses gives notice that the marriage has broken down and the separation period is reduced to nine months. The government is committed to reforming divorce law in the next parliamentary session, which starts in May. Whether the recent turmoil over Brexit will derail this timetable is another matter. But the push for reform is now very strong. The other major divorce reform introduced recently is modernising the process, namely the ability to apply online for the issue of a divorce petition. These are already coming through the system, but in the early stages. Currently, you still need to satisfy the grounds for divorce or it will be rejected at decree nisi stage. You must also be careful that you fill in the sections about applying for costs and most importantly, applying for financial orders. If you have any queries or doubts about the process, contact a Family Law specialist.
14
Bourne in Business
may 2019