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Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin Finalise Divorce

Gwyneth Paltrow and Chris Martin have filed for divorce after announcing they had split up over a year ago.

The Coldplay frontman and Hollywood actress announced they had "consciously uncoupled" in March 2014 after ten years of marriage. The couple had two children together but took significant time before officially filing the papers.

There have been mixed reports on the settlement agreement between the couples with some stating that their business managers and solicitors have been left to argue the details, with others reporting that everything has been split equally.

Amicable Split

Paltrow said of the breakdown of the relationship: “We're very, very close, and it's so nice. I feel like it's, in a way, the relationship we were meant to have.”

Both parties have waited a substantial amount of time before finalising papers, with experts praising the pause stating that they believe it will encourage a more mutual conversation in any settlement agreement and custody over their children Apple and Moses. The couple cited irreconcilable differences as the reason for their divorce.

According to the latest official statistics, there are about 118,000 divorces a year in the UK alone, but due to the blame based system in the country, many of those going through a divorce who have children focus on their needs rather than their children.

Blame Free Divorces

A report from Resolution has urged the UK to introduce blame free divorces in order to end the bitterness and issues that arise when couples file or go through a divorce. The report from the organisation states: “We have a divorce system focused on blame,” provides “little support for vulnerable people going through a separation; restricted access to alternatives to court; a lack of financial clarity for couples to divorce; and no legal protection for people who split up after living together.”

Jo Edwards, a solicitor and Resolution’s chair, said: “The fact is that despite the family justice system going through a period of huge transformation in recent years – not least with the devastating cuts to legal aid – the laws governing it are woefully outdated, inadequate and unfair to many people.

“Successive governments of different political compositions have failed to address these issues. Divorce without blame was provided for in the 1996 Family Law Act, but was never enacted and actually repealed last year.

“We still have this charade of having to assign blame [adultery or unreasonable behaviour] if you want a divorce and haven’t been separated for at least two years – even if both spouses agree their marriage is at an end.

“This is a huge barrier to amicable dispute resolution and unnecessarily introduces conflict into the process. There have been repeated calls for no-fault divorce from the judiciary and policy makers. While families have changed; our laws have not.”

The changes suggested by Resolution were also proposed by The Law Commission in 2007.

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If you require legal advice or representation for getting a divorce or negotiating a divorce settlement, our team of family lawyers can help. Contact us today using our online contact form, or call us on 0151 909 5811.

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