If you are getting a divorce, you may be wondering how much time it takes to complete the process and what challenges you might need to overcome. How long the divorce process will take depends on the facts of your case. Typically, you can avoid delays in the process when hire a good divorce lawyer. You can find a divorce attorney here.
The divorce process formally begins when you or your spouse files a divorce petition in court. A summon will accompany this petition, telling your spouse about your divorce filing and what they must do. If you and your spouse have children, you must also file a Verified Statement that offers child support details to the Friend of the Court. You may need to file other documents with the court, depending on your situation.
What to Expect After the Divorce Filing
After a divorce petition is filed, it has to be served to your spouse. If your spouse agrees to the divorce, they can sign an acknowledgment of receipt. This acknowledgment must be filed with the court. If the other party does not want to accept the petition, you can have a process server serve it. How long the papers will get into the hands of your spouse can affect your divorce timeline.
After your spouse has received the divorce paper, they should answer the complaint within a limited period. If the papers were personally served to them, they only have 21 days from receipt of the papers to answer the complaints. But if the papers were served by mail, your spouse has 28 days. If your spouse does not answer the complaint, you can proceed with the divorce process without the participation of your spouse by default.
Divorce with or Without Minor Kids
Your divorce is expected to take longer if minor children are involved. If you file a petition and have minor kids, an Early Intervention Conference will be scheduled before a referee from the Friend of the Court can help you resolve issues about your kids. Meanwhile, if no minor children are involved, you can proceed with a default. Your divorce can be completed within 60 days from the filing of the divorce complaint in this case.
Discovery
A discovery period occurs when you and your spouse have failed to resolve your issues. Both parties must make full discolors regarding their finances to each other. Failure to do so can lead to penalties.
A lot of couples settle their divorce during informal or formal discovery. The lawyers of both parties will create a Judgment of Divorce that the parties will sign to make the divorce final. Most divorces that end in trials are completed not more than a year from the filing date.