There is no legal requirement to employ a solicitor or barrister to file for divorce. Either spouse may draft and file the proceedings - though that is not advisable unless there is absolute agreement between the parties about every issue to be decided by the Court. The judge will be anxious to ensure that both parties are fully aware of their rights and duties. Whenever there is likely to be a conflict on any matter (such as children, property, maintenance or succession rights), an experienced family law solicitor should be consulted.
Anyone applying for a divorce in the Republic of Ireland must submit certain documents to the Court. Details of the documents and of other technical matters are set out in full in Statutory Instrument number 84 of 1997, which is available from Government Publications, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. (The headings and addresses on these sample documents will vary, depending on the area where the applicant or respondent live.)
In the case of a Circuit Court action, you (or your solicitor) must file
Record No._________________
| LOCAL CIRCUIT | YOUR COUNTY |
Between/
Applicant
Respondent
FAMILY LAW CIVIL BILL
INDORSEMENT OF CLAIM
YOU ARE HEREBY REQUIRED within ten days after the service of this Civil Bill upon you, to enter, or cause to be entered with the County Registrar, at the Circuit Court family office at (address) an appearance to answer the claim of (your name and address), the applicant as endorsed hereon.
AND TAKE NOTICE that unless you do enter an appearance, you will be held to have admitted the said claim and the applicant may proceed therein and judgment given against you in your absence without further notice.
AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that if you intend to defend the proceedings on any grounds, you must not only enter an appearance as aforesaid, but also, within ten days after entry of the appearance, deliver a statement in writing showing the nature and grounds of your defence. The appearance and defence may be entered by posting them to the Registrar's office and by giving copies to the applicant and his/her solicitor by post.
Dated the___day of_________________20__
To: Respondent's solicitor
Signed:________________________
(Your name)
(i) The applicant and respondent were married on the_____day of______________19__ at (name and address of church).
(ii) The applicant and respondent have been living apart for XX years, since (date).
During that time the applicant lived at (full list of addresses). The respondent lived at (addresses, if known).
(iii) Details of any previous matrimonial proceedings and of any separation agreement.
(iv) There are X children of the marriage (list names, dates of birth) or There are no children of the marriage.
(v) Details of present and past family homes.
(vi) Description of any land or premises referred to in the Civil Bill, and whether it is registered or unregistered land.
(vii) Basis of jurisdiction (domicile, residence or place of work of you or your spouse and rateable value of any property - s. 38(2) and (3) 1996 Act).
(viii) Occupations of both spouses.
(ix) At the date of institution of these proceedings, the applicant and respondent had lived apart from one another for at least four of the preceding five years. There is no reasonable prospect of a reconciliation between the applicant and respondent. Proper provision, having regard to the circumstances, has been made for the applicant and respondent.
AND THE APPLICANT CLAIMS:
(Here provide a numbered list of the individual reliefs sought, by reference to the appropriate sections of the 1996 Act)
AND FURTHER TAKE NOTICE that, in any cases where financial relief is sought by either party, you must file with the defence herein, or in any event within 20 days after the service of this Civil Bill upon you, at the aforementioned Circuit Court Office an affidavit of means (and, where appropriate, an affidavit of welfare) in the manner prescribed by the Rules of this Court, and serve a copy of same as provided by the Rules of this Court on the applicant at the address below.
Dated the__________day of___________20__
Signed:____________________________
(Your name)
(Your address)
To: The Registrar,
Circuit Family Court
and/
To: Respondent's solicitor
TAKE NOTICE that it is in your interest to have legal advice in regard to these proceedings. If you cannot afford a private solicitor, you may be entitled to legal aid provided by the State at a minimum cost to you. Details of this legal aid service are available at the Legal Aid Board, St Stephen's Green House, Dublin 2 (telephone
01-661 5811), where you can obtain the addresses and telephone numbers of the Legal Aid Centres in your area.
Record No._________________
| LOCAL CIRCUIT | YOUR COUNTY |
Between/
Applicant
Respondent
I, (your name and occupation), of (address), aged 18 years and upwards, MAKE OATH and say as follows:
1. I am the applicant in the above entitled proceedings and I make this affidavit from facts within my own knowledge, save where otherwise appears and, whereso appearing, I believe the same to be true.
2. I have set out in the first schedule hereto all the assets to which I am legally or beneficially entitled and the manner in which such property is held.
3. I have set out in the second schedule hereto all income which I receive and the sources of such income.
4. I have set out in the third schedule hereto all my debts and/or liabilities and the persons to whom such debts and liabilities are due.
5. My weekly outgoings amount to the sum of €____ and the details of such outgoings have been set out in the fourth schedule hereto.
6. To the best of my knowledge, information and belief, all pension information known to me relevant to these proceedings is set out in the fifth schedule hereto. (Or give reasons why the information has not been obtained.)
(Details of each schedule are then set out in numbered paragraphs)
Sworn by the said (your name) before me,
a practising solicitor/Commissioner for Oaths, on (date),
at___________________________________________and I know the deponent.
Signed:________________________________ (solicitor's name)
Filed this__________day of_____________20__ by (your name and address), the applicant.
To:
The Registrar,
Circuit Family Court
And/
Solicitor for the respondent
Record No._________________
| LOCAL CIRCUIT | YOUR COUNTY |
Between/
Applicant
Respondent
I, (name) of (address), (occupation), aged 18 years and upwards, MAKE OATH and say as follows:
1. I say that I am the applicant in the above proceedings and I make this affidavit of welfare from facts within my own knowledge, save where otherwise appears, and whereso appearing, I believe the same to be true.
2. I say and believe that the facts set out in the schedule hereto are true.
SCHEDULE
Part I - Details of children
1. Details of the children born to (or adopted by) the applicant and respondent, with first names, surnames and dates of birth.
2. Details of other children of the family, or children to whom either of the spouses acts as a parent.
3. Home details
Sworn by the said (your name) before me,
a practising solicitor/Commissioner for Oaths, on (date),
at_______________________________and I know the deponent.
Signed: (solicitor's name)_______________________________
Filed this__________day of_____________20__ by (your name and address) the applicant.
To:
The Registrar,
Circuit Family Court
And/
Solicitor for the respondent
Record No._________________
| LOCAL CIRCUIT | YOUR COUNTY |
Between/
Applicant
Respondent
I, (name), the solicitor acting for the above applicant, certify as follows:
1. I have discussed with the applicant the possibility of reconciliation with the respondent and I have given the applicant the names and addresses of persons qualified to help effect a reconciliation between spouses who have become estranged.
2. I have discussed with the applicant the possibility of engaging in mediation to help effect a separation on an agreed basis (the spouses not being separated) or a divorce on a basis agreed between the applicant and the respondent, and I have given the applicant the names and addresses of persons and organisations qualified to provide a mediation service for spouses who have become estranged.
3. I have discussed with the applicant the possibility of effecting a separation by the negotiation and conclusion of a separation deed or written separation agreement with the respondent.
4. I have ensured that the applicant is aware of judicial separation as an alternative to divorce, no decree of judicial separation in relation to the applicant and the respondent being in force.
Dated the_____________day of_____________20__
Signed:______________________________
Solicitor
Address
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