I’m Evelyn Peacock, Managing Partner at Whatwouldajudgesay.com and Legal Director at Paradigm Family Law LLP.
I’ve worked in family law for over 20 years and have helped hundreds of clients through divorce, separation, and financial settlements. During this time, I’ve handled more consent orders than I can count — and I’m proud of the clarity and calm I bring to what can be a very stressful time in people’s lives.
If you’ve just received a written opinion from a sitting family law judge via our service, then you’re already ahead of the curve. It’s a huge milestone — and one that gives you a clear advantage. But many people ask me:
“What happens next?”
Here’s what you need to know.
First, Let’s Bust a Big Myth
There’s a lot of misinformation out there. One of the most common myths I hear is:
“We’re not going to court, so we don’t need to do financial disclosure.”
Wrong.
Even if:
- You’re on good terms
- You’ve agreed everything between you
- You’re handling things yourselves
You still need to supply your financial information using Form D81.
Why? Because the court won’t approve your financial agreement (known as a Consent Order) unless it can see what both of you earn, own, owe, and need. The judge reviewing your case has a duty to ensure the order is fair — even if you’ve both agreed it.
So yes, financial disclosure is ALWAYS required in every divorce involving a financial settlement.
What the Judge’s Opinion Gives You: A Clear Roadmap
Once you’ve received your written opinion through Whatwouldajudgesay.com, you’ll have something most divorcing couples rarely get — clarity.
But you won’t be left to interpret it on your own.
As part of your fixed fee, you’ll also have the chance to speak with a trained legal professional or solicitor to go through the judge’s opinion in plain English. We’ll explain, in clear and simple terms, what the judge is saying about who gets what, and why — so you understand not just the outcome, but the reasoning behind it.
We’ll also walk you through what your next steps could be, depending on whether you both agree, partially agree, or need further support.
What happens after that is entirely up to you — and that’s the beauty of it. You remain in control. You’ve got clarity, professional guidance, and the power to decide the route that works best for your future.
This is exactly why so many people choose Whatwouldajudgesay.com: it puts you in the driving seat from the start.
What Questions Does the Judge’s Opinion Help Answer?
I like to describe it as a roadmap — one that cuts through the legal fog and answers the big questions you’re probably already asking:
- “What’s a fair split of our assets?”
– It explains how your home, savings, pensions, and investments might be divided. - “Can one of us stay in the house?”
– It will confirm whether that’s fair or suggest what adjustment is needed. - “Do we need to sell the house?”
– If equity needs to be released for a fair settlement, the opinion will say so. - “Will one of us pay or receive spousal maintenance?”
– If there’s a significant income gap, the judge may suggest short or long-term maintenance — or confirm it’s not needed. - “What happens to pensions?”
– This is a big one. The opinion will clarify how pensions should be split or offset. - “What about debts and (hard or soft) loans?”
– It’ll explain how debts can be shared or divided. - “Do we need a clean break?”
– The judge’s opinion will often say whether all financial claims should be closed off forever (a clean break). - “What about the children?”
– While arrangements for children are dealt with separately, their housing and needs are still factored into financial decisions.
What Happens Next?
Once you’ve got the judge’s opinion, you’ve got options. Here’s how it usually unfolds:
✅ 1. You Both Agree
Brilliant. You’re ready to move forward with a Consent Order — the legal paperwork that makes your agreement binding.
🤝 2. You Mostly Agree, But Need Help Finalising
This is common too. Maybe you need help working out the pension details or clarifying a lump sum. This is where a specialist mediator (or someone like me) can help bridge that final gap.
⚖️ 3. You’re Not Quite Aligned
Even if one of you doesn’t fully agree, the judge’s opinion gives you a reference point for ongoing discussions, mediation, arbitration and negotiations — or even court proceedings if needed. Here is a useful article explaining ‘What is Alternative Dispute Resolution?’
It’s worth a read and could save you thousands in legal fees.
Mediation Can Bridge the Gap — and It’s a Game-Changer
If you and your ex-partner are broadly aligned but not quite there — maybe there’s a sticking point around pensions, timing, or how to structure a lump sum — a specialist mediator can make all the difference.
We work closely with wonderful mediators some of whom are former solicitors. They know the law inside out, and are skilled at helping couples reach practical, fair agreements — not just around finances, but also around arrangements for children.
This is a separate service from Whatwouldajudgesay.com and is not included in our fixed fee. Mediator fees are agreed directly with your chosen mediator and vary depending on how far apart you are as a couple. Check out our resources page for the names of some excellent family mediators that can help.
As a legal professional with over 20 years’ experience, my advice is that you are still better off going to a mediator than heading to court.
If your judge’s opinion highlights areas of tension or uncertainty, mediation is often the most constructive way to resolve them and move forward with confidence. It’s cheaper, faster, and far less stressful. The emotional and financial toll of litigation is often enormous — and avoidable.
Check out this article by Frank Arndt, Senior Partner at Paradigm Family Law LLP; Research Insight: Divorce Services Are Getting Worse, Not Better
How I Help You Finalise the Legal Bit
Once you’ve received the judge’s written opinion and you’re ready to move forward, I step in to help complete the legal paperwork — efficiently and properly.
At Paradigm Family Law LLP, I work directly with clients from Whatwouldajudgesay.com to turn that opinion into a legally binding agreement.
For an additional fixed fee of £1,500, you can instruct me to prepare and submit everything required to finalise your divorce and financial settlement.
This additional service includes:
- Drafting and filing your Financial Consent Order
- Preparing and submitting your Form D81 (Statement of Financial Information)
- Completing the online divorce application on your behalf
- Managing your Conditional Order and Final Order applications
- The court fees for submitting the divorce and the financial application are included in the fixed fee.
This fixed fee covers both spouses and ensures that everything is done to the standard the court requires — with no stress, no delays, and no hidden surprises. I’ve been doing this for over two decades, and my goal is always the same: to make the process as clear and seamless as possible.
You can read more about the full pricing package here.
What’s Included in the Legal Paperwork?
To get your agreement approved by the court, I submit two key documents:
- Consent Order
– This outlines the financial settlement you’ve agreed on. It becomes legally binding once approved. - Form D81
– This gives the court an overview of each party’s financial position as it is at the present time, and as it will be following implementation of the agreed settlement. This also confirms whether legal advice has been taken.
Both parties sign these documents, and I submit them with the necessary court fees (included in your package). The judge then reviews everything on paper — in most cases, there’s no need for either of you to attend court.
What Does the Judge Look For?
When the court receives your documents, the judge considers:
- Is this fair and reasonable?
- Have both parties made full and honest disclosure?
- Are any children’s housing and needs covered?
- Has each party had the chance to get legal advice (or waived it knowingly)?
The judge isn’t there to re-write your arrangement, but they do have a duty to ensure no one is being taken advantage of.
Once It’s Approved:
- The Consent Order becomes a legally binding court order
- If it includes a clean break, no future financial claims can be made
- You’ll have certainty — and you can both move on
Final Thought
Getting a judge’s opinion early in the process changes everything.
It replaces guesswork with clarity. It gives you both a neutral, expert view and in my experience, it speeds things up, saves money, and keeps children out of unnecessary conflict.
At Whatwouldajudgesay.com, we offer a smarter, judge-led approach to divorce — and through Paradigm Family Law, we help couples to finalise those arrangements ensuring an amicable and binding conclusion to the process.
If you’re ready to move forward, we’d be happy to help you take the next step.
Begin with our free assessment or call us directly on +44 (0)20 3951 0212 or hello@whatwouldajudgesay.com.
Read more on our essential divorce guide.