Decree Nisi

When the Judge is considering whether to issue a certificate for Decree Nisi and set a date in court for the decree nisi to be read out, are both parties informed prior to this so that either one or both can attend if they wish or is only the Petitioner informed? I do realise that under most circumstances it is not necessary to attend, I just wish to clarify if both the petitioner and respondent are informed prior to the hearing for the decree Nisi. thanks:unsure:

Both are informed. But why would you want to attend? If it is not contested and the costs are agreed, there''s really nothing to see apart from a dude in a wig stamping a big pile of pieces of paper (they do them in bulk rather than 1 at a time).

Do you mean nothing is read out, he just sits stamping documents? If so, he does not need to do this in court.

For me it is all about the healing process and moving on;a piece of paper dropping through my letter box might end it legally but not emotionally. I attended my wedding, so I would like to attend my divorce.

That''s right, he just sits there reading papers and stamping them. You don''t need to attend. There''s really nothing to see.

These sorts of tasks are what is known as ''box work'' when a Judge will have administrative tasks piled into a box which they work through when they are not in court (even though the ''in court'' bit is usually in the same room as most family stuff is dealt with in private.

As cookie says, there is nothing to see. People who do insist upon going along are suitably non-plussed as the actual act of issuing a decree Nisi or a Decree Absolute literally takes a second. The decision time might be a couple of minutes as the paperwork will have already been setup for the Judge''s approval.

It''s all fairly unremarkable as the difficult bit has been done by that stage.

Charles

If you get costs ordered against the respondent, when do they have to be paid?

Sounds very much like that the Judge does not read the papers and make the decision, just ordered to ''stamp here''.

So does he not speak in court at all and anounce the decree nisi?