According to the American Psychological Association website, marriage and divorce are common experiences in the United States. The APA claims that about 40 or 50% of married couples in the U.S. divorce. As much as every married couple would wish for their marriage to be permanent, the reality is that divorces happen daily and for various reasons. However, you must note that Florida is a no-fault divorce state. This means that spouses are not allowed to point accusing fingers at each other when filing for divorce. A Floridian can only file for divorce on the grounds that their marriage is irretrievably broken or their spouse is mentally incapacitated.

If you are about to start the divorce process or have already begun the divorce process, you are probably wondering how long your divorce case will take to settle. Unfortunately, there is no way for you to know exactly how long your divorce will take. The amount of time you will spend on your case depends on various factors. Therefore, you need to remain patient since impatience often leads to negative outcomes. Nonetheless, when you work with a divorce attorney, you can speed up the divorce process.

Even though there is no way for you to know precisely how long your divorce case will take since different factors can affect the timeline of your case, it does not hurt for you to know the average time it takes to settle a typical Florida divorce case. 

Simplified Dissolution of Marriage 

In Florida, a simplified dissolution of marriage is available to spouses;

• With no children under 18
• With no alimony issues
• In complete agreement on assets and debts distribution
• In complete agreement of getting a simplified divorce

Additionally, for a couple to be eligible for a simplified divorce, one spouse must have resided in Florida for no less than six months. 

When spouses agree on property division and submit correct information, they can finalize an average simplified divorce in as little as 30 days. 

Uncontested Divorce

An uncontested divorce is almost similar to a simplified divorce. With an uncontested divorce, spouses are in total agreement on each detail of their divorce, including alimony, child support, and property division. In an uncontested divorce, spouses usually work together to ensure their divorce goes smoothly.

An average uncontested Florida divorce can take approximately three to six months. 

Contested Divorce

When spouses cannot work out their divorce issues amicably, they face what is known as a contested divorce. Usually, in the case of a contested divorce, the court intervenes, and litigation becomes inevitable. Litigation often prolongs the divorce process. An average contested divorce can take anywhere between a year to two years. In extreme cases, a contested divorce can even take more than two years.  

What Can You Do to Make the Divorce Process Smoother?

To make your divorce process smoother, you can try, among others, the following.

• Hiring the right divorce attorney
• Alternatives to divorce litigation
• Counseling
• Coming to an agreement

Contact Tampa Bay Legal Center for Legal Help

If you are ready to begin the divorce process or have already begun the process and need professional help, contact a skilled divorce attorney at Tampa Bay Legal Center, P.A., to receive legal assistance.