There has been a sharp rise in the number of divorcing couples opting to “go private” in order to avoid the delays and stresses of an over-stretched court system, lawyers have revealed.

Increasing numbers are paying for both financial dispute resolution (FDR), in which a retired judge gives an indication of the eventual outcome, and arbitration, which is quicker, more personalised and deemed more civilised than attending court.

Boodle Hatfield, a leading private wealth legal firm, said the number of private divorce hearings it had scheduled for the first quarter of 2019 is the same as that for the whole of 2018 and 50 per cent more than in 2017.

It linked the rise in private hearings for financial settlements to the stringent cuts faced by the justice system, as witnessed by a recent IT failure at HM Courts & Tribunal Service which resulted in thousands of cases being delayed.

Alexandra Hirst, an associate at the firm, said: “Just as those with the ability to pay may choose to ‘go private’ for medical care, more and more are choosing to do so for their divorces.

“Having the undivided attention of an experienced family law judge or barrister to help settle a divorce is a very attractive option.