When you decide to end your marriage, you may have many questions running through your mind. No doubt you want to get through the legal process of separating as quickly as possible. But how long does a typical divorce take in Florida? The answer is complex because it depends largely on how complicated and how contested the divorce is. After all, no two cases are identical. In general, however, most divorces can be accomplished between 3 and 24 months, depending on whether it is contested or uncontested.
Uncontested cases are the easiest divorce cases to process. This means that both parties agree essentially on every aspect of the divorce, from alimony to division of assets. There aren’t any arguments and both parties are extremely cooperative. As you can imagine, most cases are not uncontested cases. These cases take roughly 3 weeks to prepare and filing is instant. Divorcing couples must then wait roughly 3 months to get a final hearing. These types of divorces can usually be accomplished in 4 months.
A contested divorce takes considerably longer to complete - on average 12 months. When parties don’t agree on how to split assets, child custody or parenting time, mediation and negotiations can make the entire process drag on. Even a disagreement on one aspect of the divorce will make your case a contested one. Luckily, the vast majority of contested cases will settle at the halfway point through the divorce process and become uncontested cases. These cases take a little longer to prepare because of the initial contested issues. Lightly contested cases can take anywhere from 4 months to a year to process, while heavily contested cases can take up to 2 years to finally reach a settlement.
Unfortunately, many divorcing couples believe that they can speed up the process by doing it themselves. This is rarely the case because divorcing couples often make mistakes during the filing process. Even one simple filing error can significantly delay your divorce and can rack up costs you wouldn’t otherwise have. After all, divorcing couples just don’t have the legal experience or skills to avoid some of the following pitfalls:
If you have concerns regarding your divorce and you wish to go through the process as quickly and efficiently as possible, call the Coral Gables divorce lawyers at Estevez-Pazos Law Firm, P.A. We know that divorcing couples don’t want to drag out the legal process, but without an attorney on your side you can make serious mistakes that could result in significant time delays. To avoid making divorce or legal separation mistakes, call us immediately for your consultation at (305) 717-7130 or fill out our confidential contact form and someone will call you back.
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