Do I need to wait 6 weeks to apply for my Decree Absolute?

As the law stands, a Petitioner in Divorce Proceedings cannot apply for their Decree Absolute until 6 weeks and 1 day have passed from the granting of their Decree Nisi.

Whilst it is possible for an application to be made to expedite a divorce and to limit the amount of time between Decree Nisi and Decree Absolute, these types of application are extremely rare and are only granted in exceptional circumstances. One possible example may be where one of the parties is dying and they want to ensure that the divorce is completed before they do so.

The Court do not approve an application to expedite a divorce lightly. Where there are exceptional circumstances the Court may be more likely to accept the application if both parties consent to it.

As such, unless the Court can be satisfied that exceptional circumstances exist, the Petitioner cannot apply for their Decree absolute until 6 weeks and 1 day after their Decree Nisi.

If you would like any further information or advice in relation to divorce proceedings, our specialist family lawyers are happy to help. Our lawyers have offices based in Wolverhampton and Cradley Heath and provide assistance to clients across the West Midlands including: Stourbridge, Kidderminster, Birmingham, Dudley and Walsall. For all new enquiries, please call 01902 328 365, alternatively you can complete our online enquiry form and a member of our team will be in contact.