Divorce in Minnesota: How Long Does It Take to Finalize It

Divorce in Minnesota can be quick and simple or messy and complicated. It all depends on whether or not both parties agree on most or all of the issues and they come to an agreement on all things. If both parties do not agree on anything and they have a complicated divorce it can take years to complete. The process becomes lengthy when there are children, properties and other issues involved.  The quickest divorce can take as little as 4-6 weeks if the couple completely agrees on all issues and work together from the get-go. If you want to learn more about how long does it take to get divorced in Minnesota, keep reading:

Factors that Influence that Length of the Divorce Process

How long the divorce process takes depends on the following factors:

• How much property and assets both parties own.
• The number of children the couple has.
• Whether or not alimony or spousal maintenance is being pursued.
• How cooperative every party is.
• Special circumstances that can delay the divorce like a spouse hiding assets that must be investigated by professionals.
• How quickly a court can and will schedule a divorce hearing.

Sometimes, the length of the divorce process is not under the control of one party. If the other party is being cooperative and the other is being combative, it may drag on and on. Also, divorcing couples must keep in mind that at least one of them should have lived in Minnesota for at least 180 days before the divorce proceeding can start.

How to Speed Up the Divorce

The best way to expedite a divorce and ensure it is quickly finalized is to work with an experienced and qualified divorce attorney and come out of an out-of-court settlement agreement. If both parties don’t come to a divorce settlement agreement, they could find themselves in protracted and expensive litigation that drags on many months. Typically, it is best to avoid this possibility due to the time and stress involved as well as the associated costs. A knowledgeable and experienced attorney can help couples to be successful in negotiating a divorce agreement and can keep the process of dissolving their marriage moving forward to get divorced as quickly as possible. When a couple reaches an agreement, the divorce Judgment and Decree can be drafted. Both parties, together with their attorneys, will review and sign the decree. Then, the decree will be sent to the judge for approval.