Family Law Solicitors
If you are looking for divorce solicitors in Staffordshire, the family team at Pickering & Butters acts for clients across Stafford, Rugeley and the wider county. We guide you through every stage of a divorce, from the first application to the financial settlement and arrangements for your children, with clear advice and a fixed point of contact throughout.
Most people who come to us want two things: to understand where they stand, and to know what happens next. We answer both at a free, no-obligation 30-minute consultation.
We are a Resolution member firm, which means we follow a constructive, non-confrontational approach designed to keep conflict and cost down. That matters in a divorce: the calmer the process, the quicker it tends to resolve, and the better the outcome for any children involved.
We help you with:
• The divorce itself under the no-fault rules, whether you apply on your own or jointly with your spouse
• Financial settlements, including the family home, pensions, savings, businesses and maintenance
• Arrangements for children, where they live and how time is shared
• High net worth divorce, where complex assets, trusts or business interests are involved
• Out-of-court resolution through mediation and collaborative law
You will work with a named, qualified solicitor from the outset, not a call centre or a changing cast of fee earners.
Call our Stafford office on 01785 603060 or our Rugeley office on 01889 803080, or make an enquiry online
Since the law changed, divorce in England and Wales is “no-fault”. You no longer have to blame your spouse or prove a reason; you simply confirm that the marriage has broken down irretrievably. You can apply on your own, as a sole application, or together, as a joint application.
The process runs in set stages:
• The application is issued to the court, by you, jointly, or by your solicitor on your behalf.
• A 20-week reflection period runs from the application before you can apply for the conditional order (formerly the decree nisi).
• The conditional order confirms the court sees no reason you cannot divorce.
• A further six-week wait, after which you can apply for the final order (formerly the decree absolute), which legally ends the marriage.
In practice this means a divorce takes a minimum of around 26 weeks, even when everything is agreed.
Most divorces take longer, because the legal end of the marriage is usually held back until the financial settlement is resolved. Sorting the finances properly, and getting them recorded in a court-approved consent order, is what protects you in the long run, so it is rarely worth rushing the final order.
You can apply for a divorce yourself on GOV.UK, but most people instruct a solicitor for the financial side, which the online application does not deal with.
The divorce ends the marriage. It does not, on its own, divide your money or decide where the children live. Those are dealt with separately, and they are usually what matters most.
Finances
We help you reach a fair financial settlement covering the home, pensions, savings, investments, businesses and any maintenance, and we have it recorded in a legally binding consent order so neither of you can reopen it later. Where assets are substantial or complex, see our high net worth divorce service.
Children
Most parents are able to agree where children live and how time is shared, often with help from us or a mediator, without going to court. Where agreement is not possible, we advise on the court route, but we always try the constructive options first.
Going to court is not the only way, and for most families it is not the best way. We are trained in out-of-court methods that are quicker, cheaper and less combative.
A neutral, trained mediator helps you and your spouse reach your own agreement on finances or children. We advise you alongside the process, so you know your position before you commit to anything.
You and your spouse each have your own collaboratively-trained solicitor, and you resolve matters through a series of round-table meetings rather than through the court. Pickering & Butters has collaborative law-trained solicitors, which not every local firm can offer.
Pickering & Butters is a local, established firm, with offices in Stafford and Rugeley, acting for families across Staffordshire. We are a Resolution member firm, committed to a constructive, non-confrontational approach, and we are Lexcel accredited by the Law Society for practice management and client care.
Our solicitors are collaborative law trained for those who want to stay out of court, and you will have a named solicitor on your matter from day one. We also offer a free 30-minute consultation, so you can get clear advice before you commit.
Your divorce is handled by our family law team, led by Donna Nicholls, Partner and Head of the Family Department.
Pickering & Butters is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (Stafford ID 508758; Rugeley ID 510208). We advise on the law of England and Wales.
No. Divorce in England and Wales is no-fault. You only have to confirm that the marriage has broken down irretrievably; you do not have to blame your spouse or give a reason.
A minimum of around 26 weeks from application to final order, because of the built-in 20-week and six-week waiting periods. It usually takes longer in practice, as the final order is normally delayed until the financial settlement is agreed.
Usually not. The divorce itself is dealt with online and on paper. You would only go to court if you and your spouse cannot agree on finances or arrangements for children, and even then, we try mediation and collaborative law first.
Yes. Because divorce is now no-fault, your spouse cannot defend or block the divorce simply because they do not want it. We can explain how a sole application works.
It depends on whether the finances and children are agreed or disputed. We will give you a clear idea of likely costs at your free consultation, before you commit to anything.
The divorce ends the marriage. The financial settlement divides your money and property. They are separate processes, and getting the financial settlement recorded in a court-approved consent order is what protects you against future claims.
You do not have to work out your next step alone. Book a free 30-minute consultation with a specialist divorce solicitor and get clear, practical advice on where you stand.
Call our Stafford office on 01785 603060 or our Rugeley office on 01889 803080, or make an enquiry online.
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