Wednesday, October 30, 2002
British lawyers say internet divorce sites may cost you more in the long run
A story released today by the Manchester Online reports that British
lawyers are warning the public that getting a divorce from £80 over the
Internet could be detrimental in the long run.
The British website www.divorce-online.co.uk says its price compares
favorably with conventional lawyers' fees, which can run up to £800.
But solicitor Vanessa Lloyd-Platt, who handled the divorce of TV presenter
Anne Diamond, says the website's £80 claim is misleading.
"About 10-20 per cent of my work is putting right the mistakes of people who
have failed to tie up the financial side of their break-up themselves. This
is one of the problems with divorces. You rarely have an agreement that
would stand up in court."
Manchester solicitor Nigel Shepherd of Addleshaw Booth says the essential
face-to-face meeting with a lawyer to discuss whether separation is the best
option is missing from a divorce.
But divorce-online.co.uk says the £80 fee covers the cost of the basic
paperwork involved in getting a divorce when the break-up is not contested
and either the husband or wife admit adultery or "unreasonable behavior."
Founder Mark Keenan said: "We are not trivializing divorce. The people who
use our service are at a stage where they have decided they are going to get
a divorce. They are adults, after all."
