She was denied a divorce since her husband, Hugh contested her petition and she was unable to show unreasonable behaviour, in Owens v Owens [2018] UKSC 41 [2018] 4 All ER 721.
Owens said: ‘No one should have to remain in a loveless marriage or endure a long, drawn out and expensive court battle to end it.’
Owens’ solicitor, Simon Beccle, partner at Payne Hicks Beach, welcomed the change but warned the reform did not introduce ‘quick divorce’.
‘The new law introduces a minimum period of 20 weeks between the start of the divorce proceedings and the application for a conditional order to provide spouses with a meaningful period of reflection and the chance to reconsider,’ he said.
‘There will also be a six-week period between the conditional order and a final order of divorce.’ Therefore, divorce would take at least six months compared to three to four months under the old law.
