How coronavirus is hitting divorcing couples in Hong Kong and a possible solution: collaborative law
- Even before the viral outbreak, divorcing couples in Hong Kong looking to set a court date were facing up to a nine-month wait for a hearing
- Use of collaborative law can fast-track a solution to couples’ immediate issues, moving them directly towards a resolution
The past 10 months have been extremely stressful for many families in Hong Kong. The global coronavirus pandemic, coming hard on the heels of eight months of violent protests, has created unprecedented challenges. And for couples in the process of divorcing, the pressure is even more intense.
Even before the viral outbreak occurred, Hong Kong’s family courts faced a serious backlog, with those looking to set a court date facing up to a nine-month wait for a hearing. With the adjournment of the courts on January 29, that wait has been compounded. For divorcing couples, possibly the most stressful event of their life just got uglier.
Bill (not his real name) is in the middle of a protracted and contentious divorce. Caught in a painful legal limbo, he says his whole family is suffering.
“For fathers, mothers and children who long for closure to things that they can’t solve themselves, any delay has a negative impact,” he says.
Bill is especially concerned about the impact the delay is having on his children and hopes that a focus is put on clearing family cases as the courts begin to reopen.
“The people who deserve these resources the most are the children … because they need to be helped while their parents are having a difficult time. It is detrimental for them to have these things prolonged. With the school closures, the children’s normal lives have also been uprooted,” Bill says.