Once you’ve decided to get a divorce, you probably want to get it over with as quickly as possible. Divorce is difficult enough and emotionally taxing on both parties. Before you begin the process, you may be wondering how long it’s going to take. Every case is different, so the time that it takes you to finalize your divorce may be different from another person’s experience. Here are the factors that could affect how long your divorce takes.
Contested Versus Uncontested Divorce
Contested divorces take a lot longer than uncontested divorces. If you and your spouse cannot agree on spousal support, property division, or child support, then you are going to have a longer divorce process. Odds are you will have to present evidence before a judge and wait for his or her verdict. If your spouse does not want to get divorced, the process is even longer.
When your spouse refuses to divorce you, you have to prove that you have notified him or her about your divorce petition. While you can still get a divorce without his or her consent, it can cause delays in the process while you wait for a response.
Alternative Dispute Resolution
If you choose mediation or arbitration, it is possible that you could get through the divorce quicker. In states where you do not have to see a judge, you can control the process. With mediation and arbitration, you can schedule when you’ll meet and how long the meetings will last. It might not take you as long to reach a settlement.
There is a chance that alternative dispute methods can lengthen the process. This generally happens if you and your spouse cannot come to an agreement during mediation. If you cannot agree on a settlement, then you may still have to appear before a judge. The mediation can add time to the divorce if it doesn’t work.
One way to navigate the divorce process faster is to have a legal advocate at your side. When you work with a lawyer, he or she will be able to give you ideas on how you can speed up the process. Also, when you have a lawyer, you don’t have to spend as much time on your case, regardless of how many months it takes to finalize the divorce. To find out more about how a lawyer can save you time, consult with an attorney, like a divorce attorney from Robinson & Hadeed Family Law, today.