How Quickly Can I Get Divorced?

In Rhode Island, all divorce cases will follow a typical timeline that the court has set up. After a divorce complaint has been filed, the complaint must then be served on the other party, which can take some time. From there, the timeline will depend on whether the divorce is considered “contested”, where there is something that the parties cannot come to an agreement on, even if it is something small, or “uncontested”, where the parties are able to come up with an agreement before the matter comes before the judge.

If the divorce is considered uncontested, the process can move along more quickly. After a period of sixty days, the divorce can be scheduled for a divorce hearing. Then, after a period of three months and one day from the divorce hearing, a judge can sign the Final Judgment of Divorce.

If the divorce is considered contested, then the process can take much longer, because all of the contested issues likely need to be decided on before a judge can sign the Final Judgment of Divorce.

It is important to note that even if the divorce is uncontested and everything is agreed on before the divorce hearing, many things can come up that can delay the process. One or both parties may need time to procure an important document or to get a certain asset settled. Although in theory an uncontested divorce can take as little as about five months, most divorces do take a little longer. The important part, however, is that the process has been initiated and the parties are on their way to the divorce and resolution of their issues.

If you have any questions, please contact a Rhode Island Family Law Attorney.

Marissa McGill