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Legal services order definition

What does Legal services order mean? In family practice, a legal services order requires one spouse or civil partner to fund the other’s reasonable legal costs (advice, representation and disbursements) for divorce, dissolution or judicial separation and connected financial remedy proceedings, to secure access to representation. In England and Wales it is a statutory remedy (an “order in respect of legal services”) under the Matrimonial Causes Act 1973, sections 22ZA–22ZB, with parallel provisions for civil partnerships in the Civil Partnership Act 2004. The court may order lump sums or instalments, including direct payment to solicitors, limited to costs reasonably required for the proceedings....

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Costs orders against unsuccessful Legal Services Order applicants

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Published by a LexisNexis Family expert
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A request for a Legal services order constitutes an interim step, brought under the specified procedure in the Family Procedure Rules 2010 (FPR 2010), SI 2010/2955, Pt 18...

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Web page updated on 27/05/2026

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I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...

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