After the summons and petition are sent to the opposite party, they have 20 days to submit an answer. Normally, this is a predictable period of time. However, be aware that attorney-led divorce proceedings can take many unexpected turns. There are several legal avenues for severely delaying a lawsuit. For example, your spouse may file a motion for summary judgment which means that the case can be resolved by a judge based on written arguments from both sides. If you fail to appear for your trial, the court will enter a default judgment against you. This means that your marriage annulled, divorced, or dissolved without your agreement or consent. If you want to fight the divorce action, you must file a motion to set aside the default within 10 days of it being entered. Otherwise, the court's decision is final and binding. The length of time it takes to dissolve a marriage depends on many factors such as the number of issues involved, the location of the courtroom, the complexity of the case, and how much money you are willing to spend. On average, Florida divorces take about 180 days from the filing of the complaint to the entry of the final judgment. However, more complicated cases may take longer. The first step toward a speedy divorce is to hire a lawyer. The cost of hiring a lawyer should not be a barrier to getting a divorce.