Legal Advice Guide to Section 25

When deciding how to distribute a couple’s assets and income the Court has to apply a checklist of factors set by statute.

The relevant statute is Section 25 of the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973. These factors will need to be applied in every case, regardless of whether you are engaged in Court proceedings or negotiating your own settlement. These are often called the Section 25 factors, which the Court will take into account when deciding how to distribute assets upon divorce or dissolution.

The expression ‘spouse’ in this legal advice guide will also mean Civil Partner. The various options apply for couples that are undergoing divorce or dissolution proceedings and therefore where it refers to a marriage it will also apply to a civil partnership.