Civil Partnerships

If you would like legal advice on any aspect of a civil partnership, Truth Legal can help you. Whether you and your loved one are about to become civil partners, or you are unfortunately facing the break-up of your civil partnership, we can guide you with clear, specialist advice about your legal rights.

Our expert family law solicitors can:

• Advise you on registering a civil partnership and what this will mean in terms of your legal rights.
• Draft a pre-partnership agreement (similar to a prenuptial agreement) for you and your partner.
• Support and safeguard your rights in the dissolution of a civil partnership.

Truth Legal is committed to providing ethical, effective, and affordable legal services. We understand how important entering, or dissolving, a civil partnership can be in your life – personally, financially, and legally. That’s why we take the time to understand your unique situation and provide tailored advice and support.

If you would like to discuss your situation with our specialist family lawyers, contact Truth Legal today.

Registering a civil partnership

Entering into a civil partnership is a happy occasion – and therefore you may think it is one in which solicitors would not need to be involved. But a civil partnership can have many implications on the legal rights of you and your partner. In this new stage of your lives, it is important to be aware of how these changes may affect you.

Once you are aware of the effects a civil partnership will have on your rights, you and your partner may prefer to modify these effects in certain ways – such as with regard to valuable assets or property. For example you may wish to protect:

• Wealth or valuable assets
• A business
• Assets you intend to pass on to any children from previous relationships

In these situations, you might find that a pre-partnership agreement (which is very similar to a prenuptial agreement) would help you to alter the way rights are acquired and shared over those assets. Truth Legal can advise you on this process.

Civil partnership or marriage?

Since 2014, it has been possible for same-sex couples to marry in England and Wales. In terms of the legal rights involved, there is very little difference between marriage and civil partnership. You and your partner’s views on the two kinds of union are really the only important consideration when deciding between them.

Also, since December 2019, it has been possible for opposite-sex partners to enter into a civil partnership in England and Wales.

Dissolving a civil partnership

If you are facing the dissolution of a civil partnership, it is important to bear in mind that civil partners have essentially the same legal rights and obligations as married spouses going through a divorce:

• You must have been in your civil partnership for at least a year in order to begin the dissolution process.
• The grounds for dissolving the civil partnership must be that the relationship has ‘irretrievably broken down’.
• The evidence to show that this irretrievable break-down has occurred must be one of the following:
  • Unreasonable behaviour
  • You have been separated for 2 years (where you both consent to the dissolution)
  • You have been separated for 5 years (where there is no mutual consent for the dissolution)
  • Desertion – i.e. that one partner has deserted the other for a period of at least 2 years

NB – adultery is not included in this list as the term is defined as ‘between a man and a woman’. However, unfaithfulness in the relationship would be included within ‘unreasonable behaviour’.

If there is no dispute about dissolving your civil partnership, the process can be relatively straightforward. However, complications are more likely to arise when it comes to dividing joint assets and money.

Similarly, if you and your partner have any children together, they may give rise to other areas of dispute. Truth Legal’s specialist family solicitors can advise you fully on matters of child law in relation to the dissolution of a civil partnership.

Instructing Truth Legal in relation to your civil partnership

Truth Legal’s expert solicitors are committed to providing an excellent service to all of our clients. We value the trust our clients place in us, and devote our time to ensure it is repaid through an effective and well-reviewed legal service.

Truth Legal is based in Harrogate and Leeds, and serves clients nationwide. By instructing us, you will be able to call upon:

• Technical knowledge and skill – ensuring your matter is handled efficiently and correctly.
• Advice and representation – a specialist family law solicitor acting for you and protecting your legal rights.
• Support and compassion – someone on your side to help you through a time when emotions can often run high.

Contact us today for clear, expert advice regarding your civil partnership.