Divorce question

sassyblue

A friend of mine has left her husband because of his bullying, controlling behaviour - she also suffered DV in the past but not in the last couple of years. Due to this she's in a flat that's secure entry and he doesn't know where, but when she goes for divorce she's worried about her ex discovering her address.

Can she get divorced without his solicitor knowing her address?

TIA

monty-doggy

No. Her address has to be provided on a few sets of paperwork, as do any previous addresses. However the solicitor does not have to show him the address and this can be specified via her solicitor.

WestonDave

All letters etc will be via her solicitor so her actual address shouldn't need to be disclosed (only reason might be if its an asset that needs to be revealed as part of settling finances but that probably isn't the case).

If she chooses a firm of solicitors to advise her that has more than one office location (e.g Leeds and Sheffield) this can also be used to disguise her location. Most family solicitors have come across DV issues and will know tricks to help protect her.

sassyblue

Thanks to both of you, great news.

sassyblue

monty-doggy wrote: »

However the solicitor does not have to show him the address and this can be specified via her solicitor.

Just thought, how would we know his solicitor wouldn't do that?

WestonDave

sassyblue wrote: »

Just thought, how would we know his solicitor wouldn't do that?

Its a slightly more respectable version of "honour amongst thieves"! Basically his solicitor will want the same courtesy extended by other solicitors when they have a vulnerable client to protect.

There's also nothing to gain for the solicitor - his client may want that information but as the only use it can be put to is to attack his ex, the solicitor should use their judgement to realise that its not in the ex's best interests to have that information. There aren't many solicitors who would look forward to having a ticking time bomb in their caseload - never knowing if the next court appointment is going to have the opponent turning up in front of the judge black and blue saying "He did this Your Honour" and then have to try to present their client as a reasonable deserving man! Most solicitors have had to protect one or more of their clients from their own stupidity before so it goes with the territory.

HPoirot

sassyblue wrote: »

Just thought, how would we know his solicitor wouldn't do that?

The Code of Conduct - he could be reported by your friend's solicitor if he discloses the address.

Brewstersmum

just a word of warning, my partners ex asked for her address to be withheld and it was, until financial disclosure took place. amongst the paperwork was a pension statement with her new address on it!

I thought the whole thing was very sloppily handled by her solicitor and made sure that she was then made aware that her solicitor had actually passed the information on.

there was no threat to her by anyone knowing where she lived, she wished to withhold the information as was her right.