The start of the year is when divorce lawyers report their heaviest rate of inquiries, as married couples make the unfortunate decision start the new year apart.
The fear of a messy divorce means that prenuptial agreements -a contract which regulates the distribution of assets before they marry- are increasingly popular. The Law Commission recently recommended that prenups become legally binding, taking the power away from the courts in divorce cases. Are they the fairest way to distribute assets? Or is it impossible to predict how the marital finances will pan out in the future? Do women lose out in prenup cases?
Afua Hirsch discusses these issues with divorce lawyer Vanessal Lloyd Platt, Dr Janet Reibstein a Psychology Professor at the University of Exeter as well as being a family and relationship clinician, and Suzi Miller, creator of the Starting Over Show.
Afua will also be looking at divorce law as is stands, and ask why the process of using lawyers may be expensive and increase conflict. She'll be asking if divorce should be simpler.
