The Directions Appointment - Making a Financial Application (part 2/5)

Jo Spain, family law solicitor

The first Court hearing to deal with finances within your Divorce is a Directions Appointment. This means that the Court will decide what needs to be done to move matters forward.

The Judge will usually decide by what date you should both reply to the questionnaires and may also decide that any property (for example the matrimonial home and any second property) should be valued by a Surveyor.

The Judge will also direct the Court office to list this matter for the second hearing (the Financial Dispute Resolution Hearing) and sometimes also for the Final Hearing.

It is always possible to reach an agreement at Court and it is sensible to allow some time both before and after the hearing for your Solicitor or Barrister to speak to your spouse's representative.

If you do not agree matters at Court then you will need to gather the information required to answer your questionnaire and comply with any other directions made by the Court. The court will send a typed copy of the Order made and also notice of the date of the next hearing(s).

Once both parties have replied to the questionnaires then your Solicitor will usually advise you in relation to making a proposal for settlement in writing. If your proposal is accepted then a Consent Order can be prepared and you may not need to return to Court.