How Long Does A Divorce Take?

Answer: At least Six Months

There is no direct answer.  How long a divorce will take depends on a number of factors.  Those factors include the following:

  • Contested Divorce vs. Uncontested Divorce: A contested divorce will take a lot longer than an uncontested divorce. This is because if you have a contested divorce, you have to work out the details of the divorce before you can get a court to divorce you.
  • State the Divorce Occurs In: The time it takes to get a divorce differs from State to State.  For example, it can take six months to a year to get a divorce in New York State once your documents are filed. California has a 6 month waiting period. 
  • Children:  If you have children, a divorce might take longer. This is because you have to arrive at custody and child support arrangements.

This list is not exhaustive.  How long a divorce takes really depends on a number of factors that are not the same in every case.  Needless to say, Divorce is not an overnight process.  It will take time.  Even if both parties are in agreement, if can take some times to get the papers filed and for the Court to then review the papers. If there are errors in any of the papers filed, that might slow the process down.

Check out these Divorce Information Resources:

Divorce Basics 

How Long Does a New York Divorce Take?

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