Woodford Green and Chingford MP Iain Duncan Smith calls for tougher divorce laws (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Woodford Green and Chingford MP Iain Duncan Smith calls for tougher divorce laws

4:08pm Sunday 12th July 2009 in

By Crystal Wilde »

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COUPLES should have a compulsory three-month "cooling off" period before they can start divorce proceedings, according to Iain Duncan Smith.

A report, commissioned by think tank the Centre for Social Justice, Which is chaired by the Chingford and Woodford Green MP, says estranged husbands and wives should be required by law to undergo a period of reflection on the possibility of reconciliation before launching divorce proceedings.

The former Tory leader also proposes a network of relationship centres to help marriages on the rocks, along with tax breaks encouraging matrimony.

Comments(5)

inézc says...
5:16pm Sun 12 Jul 09

A decent family solicitor would normally encourage a client contemplating divorce to consider all the options open to him or her anyway including the prospects of reconciliation and if all else fails, the availability of mediation to resolve issues such as finances and children. Solicitors have been practising this kind of collaborative law for some time now in family proceedings so this is really nothing new.