The average divorce duration jumped to 12 months for readers with one contested issue, and it climbed steadily from there: 13 months for two disputes, and 16 months for three or more issues. Resolving disputes requires time to gather all the necessary information, try to negotiate a settlement, and sometimes file motions and appear at hearings.
According to Martindale-Nolo research, the average hourly rate for a divorce lawyer was $270 and the average total cost for legal fees per spouse was $11,300 (though the median was $7,000). However, not all attorneys charge the same hourly rate.
Our survey found that divorcing couples without children took an average of 10.6 months to resolve their cases. Of course, divorce takes much longer when the spouses have to go to trial, because they're at the mercy of over-crowded court calendars, attorney schedules, and possibly, the other spouse's delay tactics.
That said, if both parties agree on the essential terms of their case and are able to have an amicable divorce, the overall procedure will usually take between 3 - 6 months, which is less than half the time of the average contested divorce. How much does an uncontested divorce cost?
about 15 monthsTherefore, the fastest you can get a divorce in California is six months after the time you file. That being said, the average length of divorce from filing to finalization is about 15 months, although the actual length of divorce can vary depending on what is involved.
The easiest type of divorce, which takes the least amount of time, is called an uncontested divorce. This relatively fast divorce happens because all of the major issues have been agreed upon by you and your spouse.
Most state courts will automatically enter a divorce decree if the parties have been legally separated for a period of time, often one to two years, and meet the basic eligibility requirements.
A quick divorce can be achieved when both parties agree the marriage has broken down irretrievably and want to get divorced. This is the simplest form of divorce. A quick divorce does always require the co-operation of both parties.