English-speaking divorce and family lawyer in Poland

Cases I handle

• divorce, with or without a ruling on fault
• legal separation
• custody (parental responsibility) and the child’s place of residence
• contact arrangements
• child support: setting, increasing, reducing
• division of marital property
• cases where one spouse lives abroad or the spouses have different nationalities

Divorce in Poland

In Poland a divorce can only be granted by a court: the regional court (sąd okręgowy). A law allowing divorces at the civil registry office was vetoed in April 2026. In the divorce judgment the court also decides on parental responsibility, contact and child support for minor children.

For international couples, two questions come first: whether a Polish court can hear the case, and which country’s law it will apply. Poland does not take part in the EU “Rome III” rules, so spouses who share a foreign nationality may have their divorce decided under their home country’s law.

Children in international families

Jurisdiction in child matters generally follows the child’s habitual residence. Moving a child to another country without the other parent’s consent or a court decision can amount to international child abduction under the 1980 Hague Convention: legal advice before any move is essential.

Working together

At the first meeting we go through the situation and your goals. Where possible, we look at an agreement, including mediation: settlement usually shortens proceedings. Where agreement isn’t possible, I prepare the case for contested court proceedings. Foreign documents usually need a sworn translation into Polish, and I explain which ones.

Frequently asked questions