Filing for divorce can be stressful and difficult, but once the decision is made to end a marriage one of the most common questions received by our office is how long it takes to finalize the process. At Gordon & Perlut, our skilled and experienced Chicago area and Mount Prospect divorce attorneys are here to walk you through every step of the process and answer all your questions about finalizing a divorce. For more information and to learn about the wide range of legal services offered to our clients, call or contact the office today to schedule a consultation. Initial consultations are always complimentary.
Before a divorce can be finalized, or even submitted as a petition to the court, Illinois’ residency requirement must be met. Under state law, at least one spouse must reside in the state of Illinois for at least ninety days prior to either spouse filing for divorce. In addition, the law requires that if there are minor children involved, they must have resided in Illinois for at least six months prior to a divorce petition being filed with the court. If you are considering filing for divorce in Illinois, it is important that you take the residency requirements into consideration when planning your timeline.
In Illinois, there is no waiting period for an uncontested divorce. This means that the court does not require any type of cooling-off period for the spouses to reconsider after filing the initial petition with the court. An uncontested divorce means that the spouses agree on all the significant terms included in a finalized divorce agreement, such as the distribution of marital property, and there are no minor children involved in the process (nor is a spouse currently pregnant). Uncontested divorce cases can be finalized in as little as a couple of months, depending on the schedule of the court where the petition is filed.
The process of finalizing a divorce is longer for contested divorce cases. A contested divorce means that there are one or more issues that the spouses disagree on, such as property distribution, spousal support, child custody, or child support. Depending on the circumstances of the case, it could take months or even years to finalize a contested divorce. If mediation or collaborative divorce is utilized then the process is usually resolved in a shorter period of time than if issues go to a full trial to resolve. To learn more, talk to our office today.
If you have more questions about how long it will take to finalize your divorce in Illinois, the skilled and highly qualified lawyers at Gordon & Perlut are here to help. Call the office today to speak with one of our talented and dedicated Chicago divorce attorneys during a free consultation of your case.