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A local divorce attorney can help you understand your local divorce, custody, and child support laws and how they will affect your case. Fill out the form on the right to arrange a divorce case evaluation.

What is Involved in a Divorce Case?

A divorce case may be more complex than you imagine. Typically, a divorce proceeding begins when one party files a divorce petition with the court and has that petition served on the other spouse.

Then, depending on the circumstances and the complexity of the issues involved, a hearing may be scheduled to establish temporary orders. Temporary orders establish responsibility for payment of bills and expenses while the divorce is pending, short-term custody arrangements, temporary visitation schedules and child support, and any other issues that must be resolved right away in order to protect the health and assets of the parties during the divorce.

In some states, if the parties agree on all issues, a divorce case can be finalized in just a few weeks. In others, there is a mandatory waiting period between the filing of the divorce petition and the decree. If a contested hearing is required, a divorce case may take many months to resolve; some high-profile, high-asset cases with complex financial issues or hotly contested custody battles may take even longer.

A local divorce lawyer can explain the typical time sequence in your area and what you can expect as your divorce case moves forward.