Who pays for consent order?

Hi,

Me (respondent) and my STBX Wife (applicant) have now agreed a financial settlement and her solicitor will shortly be drafting a Consent Order.

I recognise that wife's solicitor is still acting in her interests and that I should get independent legal advice on the content of the consent order. I am LiP.

However, I'm slightly confused about who should pay for the costs of drawing up the Consent Order. Would this normally be expected to be equally split between us?

I agreed to equally share the divorce costs, but I believe that strictly speaking this means costs associated with - divorce application, decree nisi, decree absolute.

many thanks

If you are going to get a solicitor to check the consent order on your behalf (as you should) then it is reasonable that you each pay your own legal costs. There is a court fee which is currently £50 to file a consent order. It would not be unreasonable to share that cost between you equally.