DIVORCE, like life, never runs smoothly. The legal profession is aware that marital breakdowns often comes in cycles, with this time of year –
the period just after family summer holidays – and Christmas being
two of the busiest.
Why is this? Rhona Adams of Morton Fraser thinks it has something
to do with spouses being thrown together at these times of year,
with the close contact adding yet another layer of pressure to tensions
which might already exist.
"It can force
couples to do something decisive about their relationship,
especially if they've not been particularly happy with it for a while," she says.
"When they're off work, they can even be on a fact-finding mission, deciding whether to leave or not.
"Then some people will wait until after Christmas on the basis that a new year is a new start."
She adds: "If there is ever a moment of tension it is when families
are thrown together into close proximity for relatively long periods
of time. It creates something of a flashpoint."
Lesley Gordon of Lindsays says that a relationship breakdown can take place over a period of time, only to be brought to a head by family events such as holidays.
"People often don't make snap judgments about ending a marriage – it's something which builds up over a period of time," says Gordon.
"Being off work and together can then turn out to be the straw which breaks the camels back."
Another issue she identifies is that of separation agreements between older people.
"We are dealing with more and more couples in retirement. They've
had their working lives and then, when they've finished their careers,
they decide they don't want to spend the rest of their lives looking at
each other."
Lawyers don't want it thought that they're anticipating business at
certain times, though most report a distinct trend.
"Springtime is another occasion when we see quite a lot of separations,"
says one.
"Perhaps it has something to do with spring being a period of renewal.
"I wouldn't want to give the impression that we come in on January 3
each year and wait for the phone to ring. It's not like that. But there are definite cycles."
The full article contains 377 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
