Online Divorce Backlog Moves North
The time for processing divorce papers has improved considerably for divorce centres in the south but worsened for divorce centres in the North West, West Midlands and East Midlands.
Online divorces are all sent into one location, and then allocated to one of the eleven divorce centres around England and Wales for processing. There does not seem any logic to how divorces are allocated to a divorce centre. Petitioners from Southampton are having their divorce processed in the North West. When Divorce Negotiator spoke with one centre they said that someone (presumably in IT) is told where to direct the online applications based on the workload of the court centre. This cannot be working correctly!
When the online divorce first started, earlier this year, the backlog was predominantly at Bury St Edmunds. It was thought that this was due to Bury St Edmunds having the largest area of the population to cover (London, East England and South East England). It was revealed by Susan Acland-Hood, CEO of HM Courts & Tribunals Service, that staffing problems were causing the delays. She admitted that the issues should have been resolved quicker, and said "We are now using the extra staff (and help from other divorce centres) to sort this," This now does seem to have been resolved for Bury St Edmunds,
However, it now seems that the East Midlands, North West and West Midlands divorce centres are having the longest delays.
Petitions to the South West divorce centre are taking under 3 weeks from application to post date, whereas the North West are taking 10 weeks from application to post date.
Carol Sullivan from Divorce Negotiator Ltd, says "It is very difficult to provide our clients with a realistic timeframe to complete their divorce when the divorce centres vary so much in their backlog." If the online system used intelligence to file the petition with the court nearest the Petitioner’s postcode it might help speed things up considerably.
Before the restructuring to 11 divorce centres, a petition to the court would be received back within 7 days. The Respondent’s Acknowledgment of service was usually returned within 10 days from the date the court received it. Decree nisi applications took 4-7 weeks and decree absolutes 3-4 days. In our experience, this current timeline has quadrupled.
Maybe the courts are short staffed, but whatever the reason please communicate.
An automatic response from West Midlands is still showing its updated responses to 30/08/2018. This really should be updated more regularly
From: West Midlands Divorce Unit [mailto:WestMidlandsDivorce@Justice.gov.uk]
Sent: 12 November 2018
West Midlands Divorce Unit
Outstanding Process
30.08.18 at 08.00
Timescales for chasing matters with Judges 4 weeks
Work Position
· We are currently processing petitions received on 2 August 2018
· We are currently processing help with fees applications received on 6 August 2018
· We are currently processing acknowledgements of service received on 17 August 2018
· We are currently processing applications for directions for decree nisi received on 2 August 2018
· We are currently processing Applications received on 3 August 2018
· We are currently processing correspondence including emails received on 21 August 2018
· We are currently processing approved/refused directions for trial applications considered on 8 August 2018
· We are currently processing approved/refused orders made by a District Judge on 8 August 2018
· We are currently processing Form A's received on date of receipt which are included in the Birmingham Pilot Scheme
· We are currently processing Form A's received on 3 August 2018 which are not part of the Birmingham Pilot Scheme
· Consent Orders received on 2 August 2018 waiting to be considered by a District Judge
· Replies to Consent Order refusals that were received on 1 August 2018 waiting to be considered by a District Judge
· We are currently processing Consent Orders that were approved on 26 July 2018
· We are currently processing Consent Orders that were refused on 1 August 2018
· We are currently processing Decree Absolutes received on date of receipt
Having worked in a Government Legal Office, Carol Sullivan says she knows the strengths and weaknesses of a government office like this and would love to be given the opportunity to improve the admin department to benefit divorcing couples, solicitors and the family justice system.