Litigant in Person

Hello Everyone,

I've only just found this site and registered yesterday.

I'm at the FDR (Financial Dispute Resolution) stage. I've got the Decree Nisi.

In March this year I found myself without a solicitor after racking up a bill of over £17,000, she said it would be unethical of her to continue acting for me.

At what should have been the final hearing, Friday 16th March, I was there on my own and the ex also came without representation saying he was also now acting for himself. The judge wasn't happy with him because neither he or his solicitor had informed the court. It transpired that the preparation of the bundle had now fallen to me as the applicant. Brief history - We've been married 14 years and cohabiting 2 years previously. The FMH in Spain has been sold and proceeds have been divided 50/50 although there is still outstanding monies owed to me. By Monday 19th March I learned that his solicitor was still acting for him. I asked her whether that meant it was now her responsibility to prepare the bundle for the next hearing, to date have not had a reply. The initial pension sharing recommended that I get 57% of the largest of his three private pensions (he worked in private banking). He offered me 5% (without prejudice) and 9% (open). The pension in question has been valued at nearly £700,000.

I have been in touch with the court to ask whose responsibility it is given he now has a solicitor again and I am still waiting for a reply.

My question is do I try to prepare the bundle, which I am finding very daunting, or wait to see what his solicitor does? I am in the process of updating my financial position.

Please feel free to ask me any questions in order to help answer my questions.

Have you got a date for final hearing yet?

If he is represented, his solicitor should prepare the bundle and share the index with you so you can see which documents are to be included. These are documents that will be used to support your case and will need to be referred to in court as well as the financial disclosure etc. You need to ensure the other side have seen such documents, you cannot just produce them on the day.

You will need to produce a section25 statement to support your case.

You may want to look at the services we offer to support LIPs. Ring the helpline if you need to.

Hadenoughnow

if I am a LIP and the person I am divorcing is a solicitor how does this work?