Best Divorce Lawyer in Paris — English-speaking family law

It depends on the procedure. A divorce by mutual consent (divorce par consentement mutuel) is usually finalised within 2 to 4 months. A contested divorce generally takes 12 to 24 months, depending on the complexity of the case and the court's calendar. We give you a realistic timeline at the first consultation.

French law recognises the divorce by mutual consent, where the spouses agree on everything, and three contested procedures: divorce by acceptance of the principle of the breakdown of the marriage, divorce for fault, and divorce for the definitive breakdown of marital life (after one year of separation). The right procedure depends on your level of agreement.

Yes. A mutual-consent divorce requires agreement on every term: division of assets, compensatory allowance, and the arrangements for the children. If you disagree on any point the divorce must be contested, although negotiation can continue throughout the procedure and mediation often helps close the remaining gaps.

Yes. A lawyer is mandatory for every divorce procedure in France. In the amicable divorce without a judge, each spouse must have their own lawyer. In court proceedings, each spouse needs a lawyer to put forward their case.

For an amicable divorce the firm works on fixed-fee packages, from €770 + VAT per spouse. A contested divorce is billed on a bespoke basis, according to the hourly rate and the work the case requires. The fee basis is set out clearly and in writing at the first consultation.

Often yes. Under Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1111 ("Brussels II ter"), the French courts have jurisdiction in particular where both spouses live in France, where France was their last common residence and one of them still lives there, where the respondent lives in France, where the spouses apply jointly and either of them lives in France, where the petitioner has lived in France for at least one year before filing (six months if he or she is French), or where both spouses are French nationals. Where no court of an EU Member State has jurisdiction under the Regulation, French rules apply: the French nationality of either spouse can in principle give the French courts jurisdiction (Articles 14 and 15 of the Civil Code), and Article 1070 of the Code of Civil Procedure then designates the competent family court. Service of documents abroad is handled as part of the procedure.

It depends on the country. Civil-status documents (birth, marriage, divorce) issued in another EU Member State are exempt from any apostille or legalisation under Regulation (EU) 2016/1191, as are judgments in matrimonial matters given in another Member State (Article 90 of Regulation (EU) 2019/1111), and some bilateral conventions give similar exemptions. Documents from other countries generally need an apostille under the 1961 Hague Convention, or consular legalisation where that Convention does not apply. Documents in a foreign language generally have to be translated into French by a sworn (certified) translator; for an amicable divorce, an agreement and appendices drafted in a foreign language must be accompanied by such a translation (Article 1146 of the Code of Civil Procedure). We tell you exactly which documents are affected and help you obtain them.