The earliest date a divorce can be granted is six months from the date a Petition for Dissolution of Marriage is served on the Respondent. The parties can stipulate to a complete settlement of the case immediately after the Petition is served and a judgment can be entered immediately, but they still cannot be divorced until the six-month period has expired. If the parties cannot reach an agreement, either party may request that the court set a trial date. Trial dates may be set as early as six months after the Petition is served and may take as long as a year and a half depending on court calendars, compliance with document production requests, and so forth. If you cannot reach an agreement, the court will make orders after hearing the evidence in the case.
Some parties agree to retain the services of private judges to hear their cases.
This process can be less expensive and less time consuming. Others agree to use a private mediator to assist them in resolving their case. We will explore these options with you. If your spouse absolutely refuses to compromise, the court will make the necessary orders in due time. In emergency situations such as where there is domestic violence, we can obtain a hearing in court within 24 hours to obtain emergency restraining orders.