How Long Does It Take to Get Divorced? A Simple Guide

by Joseph

You’ve decided to get a divorce, and you can’t help but to feel excited about moving on with your independent life. 

The question is, how long does it take to get divorced? 

The reality is, just as no two marriages are alike, no two divorce situations are alike. Therefore, the length of the divorce process will ultimately depend on several factors. 

Here’s a rundown on how long your divorce process may take. 

How Long Does It Take to Get Divorced? 

If you want your divorce process to be as quick as possible, you and your future ex-spouse should strive to complete an uncontested divorce process. 

During this type of divorce, you and the other party will resolve all of your major divorce issues (like property division) before proceeding to a divorce trial. This takes a lot less time than going through the contested divorce process. 

As a general rule of thumb, you can complete an uncontested divorce in under one year. However, how quickly family law court judges sign marital dissolution papers varies from one state and jurisdiction to another. 

The State Factor 

All states have their own divorce requirements, so this will also impact how long your particular divorce proceeding will take. 

For instance, states require different mandatory waiting periods. However, they typically range from a total of 30 days to 90 days. 

Nonetheless, even states that lack waiting periods might still take a while to finalize divorces based on their judges’ schedules. 

The Child Factor 

Note that the required waiting periods might be longer in certain areas if you share young children with the other party. 

Why? The theory is that the decision to divorce should be given more time to make when children are involved. That’s because children are thought to benefit most from growing up with both of their parents. 

Still, this extra time is generally no longer than one month or two months across the United States. Still, an exception is Michigan, where the mandatory waiting period jumps from a couple of months to two half a year for spouses with young children. 

Note that you cannot waive the required waiting period in the majority of states. 

An attorney, however, can help you to understand all of your rights and options during the divorce process. An attorney can also help individuals to enforce divorce decree after their divorces have been finalized. 

How We Can Help 

In addition to answering the question “how long does it take to get divorced,” we offer a wide range of other tips related to relationships. 

For instance, we offer tips for hiring the right divorce lawyer when dealing with child custody issues. In addition, you can learn about the top complimentary dating sites for finding love in 2021. 

Take a peek at our site to learn more about how to confidently address your most pressing relationship issues in the months and years ahead. 


Also published on Medium.

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