Civil Partnership Dissolution
Civil partnership dissolution is for same-sex couples who have formed a legally recognised civil partnership which has ended.
To obtain a civil partnership dissolution you must have been in either a registered civil partnership, or recognised foreign relationship, for twelve months. To begin the dissolution process you must complete a form, called a “Petition”, giving the reasons (the “facts”) why you are applying, to show that the civil partnership is definitely over. The process is a court based one and the person applying for the dissolution will have to provide evidence to the court that the civil partnership has broken down irretrievably.
If you have children you must also complete a form called a “statement of arrangements” in which you tell the court what plans you have made for the children once the dissolution is final, e.g. who will care for them and what arrangements you have made for their support.
After lodging the petition with the court there are several other stages to progress through before the dissolution may be granted. More information about these is given in the leaflets indicated below.
There are currently ten courts able to deal with civil partnership proceedings. These are listed below. If your local court is not listed here they may still be able to provide you with copies of the information leaflets and forms you require but they will not be able to issue or deal with the proceedings there and will direct you to one of the designated courts.
Birmingham
Brighton
Bristol
Cardiff
Chester
Exeter
Leeds
Manchester
Newcastle
Principal Registry of the Family Division
Note: If you are a heterosexual couple who are married and wish to divorce please see the information available about divorce.
Useful Forms and Leaflets
1. Starting Proceedings
D508 Dissolution Petition
D508 (Notes)
D193 About dissolution
D194 I want to get a dissolution - what do I do?
D195 Children and dissolution
2. Response
D196 The respondent has replied to my petition – what must I do next?
3. Conditional Orders and Final Orders
D197 I have a conditional order – what must I do next?