Our divorce lawyers in New Zealand offer a wide range of services to individuals seeking to end their marriages. These professionals have a thorough knowledge of family law and have the expertise to help clients navigate the legal process of divorce and protect their rights. The lawyers also make sure that the separation process is as smooth and peaceful as possible.
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Why would you need a divorce lawyer in New Zealand?
One of the primary roles of the law firms in New Zealand, specializing in civil union dissolutions, is to negotiate settlements, which includes: discussing the terms of the divorce, such as the division of assets and liabilities, child custody and support, and spousal support.
Our attorneys in New Zealand want to protect the interests of their clients and to make sure that the final agreements are fair for both parties.
In addition to negotiating settlement agreements, our divorce lawyer in Auckland, NZ is also trained to represent clients in court. This is needed only if the former spouses are not able to reach a consensus. In these situations, our New Zealand lawyers will present the case to the judge and make sure that the client gets the best results.
We have a team of divorce lawyers in every region of New Zealand. If you need assistance in the Canterbury region, our divorce lawyers in Christchurch are available to provide professional guidance.
Mediation, a less costly alternative in case of separation
Another service that our divorce lawyers in New Zealand may offer is mediation. This is a middle-way alternative. Compared to the settlement agreement, it requires the presence of a third party. And in contrast to solving the situation in front of a judge, it is more affordable and less time-consuming.
Our divorce lawyers in Hamilton, NZ are trained to handle the challenges that can arise during separation and they can offer legal guidance and if needed, representation in court.
If you are considering a divorce, it is important to seek the guidance and representation of a skilled and experienced New Zealand law firm. These professionals can provide legal guidance and representation in court if needed.
Our mediation services extend to the South Island. Our divorce lawyers in Christchurch can help you reach an amicable agreement.
Regarding the cost of a divorce lawyer in NZ, you can benefit from a free case evaluation from one of our specialists.
What are the steps of a divorce in New Zealand?
Here is an overview of the general steps:
- Separation: Couples have to live apart for at least two years before filing for divorce. In this period they can live together for a few months in order to try to save the relationship.
- File a notice of proceedings: This document provides information about the parties involved in the divorce and the reason behind it. For more information one of our divorce lawyers from Hamilton, NZ can help you.
- Serve the notice of proceedings: After being filed by one party involved it has to be served on the other party.
- File an application for divorce: After the notice of proceedings has been served, the party who filed the notice can submit an application for divorce with the Family Court.
- Respond to the application for divorce: If the other party does not agree to the divorce, they can offer a response to the initial application.
- Case conference: If the parties are unable to reach an agreement, they have to appear in front of a Family Court judge. For this step one of our divorce lawyers from Auckland can assist and represent you.
- Settlement conference: if the situation is not solved after the case conference, the former spouses need to attend a settlement conference.
- Final hearing: If the parties are unable to reach an agreement at the settlement conference, they will need to attend a final hearing, where the final decision will be made in front of a judge.
Our law firm is here to assist New Zealand citizens with the divorce process, regardless of where you live in the country. We have a dedicated team of divorce lawyers in Christchurch ready to provide personalized support for your needs.
Division of property
You and your ex-partner can decide together how to divide property without involving the Family Court. However, for this agreement to be legally enforceable, it must be put in writing. Additionally, both parties are advised to get independent legal advice to ensure the agreement is valid and properly drafted. Our divorce lawyers in New Zealand can help with the written agreements.
If you and your ex-partner cannot agree on how to divide your property, or if the proposed division seems unfair, the Family Court will handle your case. The Court will evaluate the property, determining how it should be divided. It will issue a Relationship Property Order to formalize the division.
You need to apply to the Family Court within one year of your divorce. If you miss these deadlines, you can request the court’s permission to apply late. Our divorce lawyers in Christchurch can offer legal representation with the Family Court.
Our New Zealand attorneys have prepared a few general considerations and principles regarding property division:
- If one partner is more responsible for the break-up, this will not affect the division of property;
- If the marriage has lasted more than 3 years, property will be divided equally. There might be some exceptions, our divorce lawyers in Auckland can evaluate your case specifically;
- For relationships lasting less than 3 years, the Court will take into account who owned the property before the relationship, if the property was gifted by one partner, or if one partner made a significantly greater contribution to the relationship;
- Household work is considered as equally important as a paid job for the contribution of the relationship.
Please note the Court will take into account the needs and well-being of dependent children, if there are any. Property division must benefit the children directly. Our divorce lawyers in Hamilton, NZ offer assistance in divorce cases involving children.
Additionally, the Court will also adjust the division of property if one partner’s income and standard of living are higher than the other’s.
Our law firm in New Zealand specializes in property division and divorce matters.
Statistics about divorce in New Zealand
Our lawyers in New Zealand will present you with some interesting statistics about divorces in the country:
- 7,995 couples divorced in 2023;
- 5,901 children under 17 years of age had divorcing parents in 2023;
- In 2023, the median age at divorce was 45.5 years for women and 48.1 years for men;
- The number of divorces in 2023 was slightly higher than in 2022 when there were 7,593 divorces.
Aside from our divorce services, we also have a team of accountants in New Zealand to help with financial matters.
For legal guidance and representation, you can contact our experienced divorce lawyers in New Zealand.