How Quickly Can You Get A Florida Divorce?
For most people who want to end their marriage, a divorce is a stressful and nerve-racking process. That is why most divorcing couples want to finalize their divorce as soon as possible and wonder, “How quickly can I get a divorce?”
It is not always impossible to get a quick divorce, especially if spouses are not able to reach an agreement on at least one of the divorce-related issues, including:
- The division of property and debt
- Alimony
- Child custody
- Child support
If you are getting divorced and want to finalize your divorce as soon as possible, contact a knowledgeable attorney. Schedule a consultation with our Orlando divorce lawyer at the Law Offices of Steve W. Marsee, P.A., to talk about your case and ensure that you can speed up your divorce case.
How Long Do Divorces Take in Florida?
A Florida divorce case can take anywhere from a month to a couple of years, depending on the complexity of the case and the number of disputed issues. While it is rare for divorcing couples to agree on all issues when seeking a divorce, an uncontested divorce can be final within a month or two from the date of filing a petition for divorce.
Contested divorces, meanwhile, can take a year or longer. If you and your spouse agree on all issues in your divorce case and want to get a quick divorce, an experienced attorney may be able to help you obtain a divorce within 30 days from the date of the filing.
How to Speed Up a Divorce Case in Florida?
It is nearly impossible to estimate how long a divorce case will take because the duration of a divorce case depends on many factors, including:
- The number of contested issues
- Whether the marriage involves children
- Whether there are any disputes regarding the division of property and/or debts
- The parties’ willingness to reach an agreement
- The skills and expertise of your divorce attorney
Florida law requires a 20-day waiting period from the date of filing a petition for divorce (Fla. Stat. § 61.19). While you cannot get a divorce less than 20 days after the date of filing the petition, you can finalize your divorce after the waiting period as long as you have resolved all of your issues.
How Can I Obtain a Quick Divorce?
Resolving your divorce case in court is not only expensive but also time-consuming and unpredictable. For this reason, if you want to get a quick divorce, you may want to try alternative dispute resolution methods, also known as ADR methods:
- Mediation. A divorcing couple can resolve their disputes through mediation to obtain a quick divorce. You can obtain a divorce through mediation by hiring a neutral mediator who facilitates communications between you and your spouse. The mediator does not represent either spouse’s interests.
- Collaborative divorce. The second ADR option is a collaborative divorce. Both spouses and their lawyers negotiate to work out an agreement out of court through collaboration and negotiations.
Contact an Orlando divorce attorney to estimate how long it will take to get a divorce in your particular case. Speak with our knowledgeable lawyer at the Law Offices of Steve W. Marsee, P.A., to receive a consultation. Call 407-521-7171.
Resource:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&Search_String=&URL=0000-0099/0061/Sections/0061.19.html
