If you have a civil partnership, the process to legally end that relationship is largely the same as a married couple. It is not called a divorce, but instead is called a dissolution. The forms and process are largely the same, however there are some key differences. As with same sex marriages, the grounds to petition for dissolution of a civil partnership would be:
- Adultery (but this has to be with someone of the opposite sex)
- Unreasonable behaviour
- Desertion
- Two years’ separation with consent
- Five years’ separation
Some of the terminology is also different, for example in divorce proceedings for a married couple the final Decree Absolute brings the legal marriage to an end. In a civil partnership, it is called a Final Order.
There is also a process to apply for financial settlement as a result of dissolution of a civil partnership, again in a similar way to divorce proceedings for married couples.