The Government has published the new Divorce, Dissolution and Separation Bill which seeks to modernise some of the terminology used in divorce cases. You can read more about the Bill and the move to no-fault divorce in our previous blog.
| Current Term or Phrase | New Term or Phrase |
| Petition | Application |
| Petitioner | Applicant |
| Decree Nisi | Conditional Order |
| Decree Absolute | Final Order |
| Decree of Divorce | Divorce Order |
| Divorce Petition | Application for a Divorce Order |
| Decree nisi made absolute | Divorce order made final |
| After decree nisi | Before a divorce order has been made final |
| Grant a decree of divorce | Make a divorce order |
| Decree of nullity | Nullity of marriage order |
| Presentation of a petition | Making of an application |
| Filing of an answer | Filing of a response |
| Grant of a decree of judicial separation | Making of a judicial separation order |
The Government has stated that:
Some of the terminology in existing legislation, particularly in relation to divorce and judicial separation, would be updated to make the law more accessible, and to be consistent with the terminology in the more recent civil partnership legislation.
Commons Briefing papers CBP-8594
