It is normal to want your divorce to be over as quickly as possible. Once a judge finalizes your divorce, you can move on with your new life. A long, drawn-out divorce process can also mean more money in legal fees. In California, however, no divorce can take place faster than six months. California's mandatory waiting period is six months from the date of filing the divorce paperwork. Even if you and your spouse work out a settlement sooner than six months, California law requires you to complete the six-month waiting period before a judge will finalize the divorce. The waiting period is meant to prevent couples from quickly getting divorced and then reversing the decision after reconciling. The courts give couples six months to make sure divorce is what they really want. The waiting period also allows a couple enough time to work out a settlement agreement, reducing the odds of the case going to court. This helps keep the civil court system in California efficient. After you or your spouse file for divorce in Encinitas, expect your divorce case to take at least six months. It may take longer than six months to resolve your case, however, if you run into complications. If you and your spouse cannot work together on the terms of your divorce, you may not be able to achieve a settlement agreement. You will have to go to court to resolve the case instead. Depending on how busy the family court is in your county, getting a court date could take months. Avoiding a trial is the number one way to reduce the amount of time it will take to complete your divorce case in Encinitas.