Family practitioners said the Financial Remedy Service on MyHMCTS online plays a key role in simplifying and improving the divorce process.
HM Courts and Tribunal Services (HMCTS) have revealed that more than 10,000 consent applications for financial remedy have been processed on the new online portal MyHMCTS.
Typically the majority of online applications submitted by legal professionals are duly processed and returned to the applicants within 7 days.
The financial remedy consent order service was launched in 2018, which “enables legal professionals to submit online an agreed order which sets out the finances of divorcing couples and is part of our work to make divorce simpler.”
HMCTS said:
“In 2019 there were over 28,000 consent applications for financial remedy orders. We understand that resolving finances after separating is one of the most challenging aspects of a couple’s divorce. Our aim is to reduce unnecessary anxiety by providing their legal representatives with a service that is quick, available at all times and enables progress to be tracked without the need to contact us. This allows couples to move with their lives following their divorce.”
HMCTS has received positive feedback from legal professionals using the service, after it was made mandatory in August this year.
Juliet Harvey, Legal Director at Birketts says of the service:
“I have found the Financial Remedy service very simple to use. The system guides you through what needs to happen. Being able to check answers before you press ‘submit’ is great – it’s much the same as getting a paper version of the form back for checking and signature before lodging at court. I find the notifications that the application has been received, has been submitted to the Judge and that the order has been approved are a great addition.
“I also love not having to chase the court by phone to find out what is happening to my application – either I’ve had notification from the system to tell me what has happened, or I can log into the portal to check progress.
“For my clients, it is a simpler, quicker process. It enables them to move on with their lives more quickly.”
Adam Lennon, Head of Family said:
“Providing legal professionals with the ability to submit financial remedy consent applications online has a been a key part of our plan to use technology to simplify and improve the divorce process.
“We are pleased to have reached this milestone, the feedback we have received is a real testament to the way we have worked with the judiciary and legal professionals to develop a system that meets the needs of court users.”