Divorce proceedings may take several months or years to conclude due to various factors that contribute to their length.
For example, if one party fails to submit all required documents on time, the case could be delayed. Furthermore, court systems often have backlogs that extend proceedings further down the timeline and rescheduling hearings can add extra days on the timeline.
Contested Divorce
Contested divorces typically take longer due to court hearings over issues like property division, child custody, alimony payments and debt allocation. When couples disagree on these issues it’s called contesting spouses; their refusal to negotiate settlement agreements prolongs the divorce process further.
Lawyers can try to engage both spouses in productive early settlement discussions; if that fails, trials become the only viable solution – which can be costly and stressful for all involved. Therefore, it is wiser for both sides to try to come to a mutually acceptable resolution as soon as possible.
One factor contributing to a prolonged divorce case can be lack of judges in your area. Most counties and jurisdictions have limited resources available to them, forcing each judge to handle hundreds or even thousands of domestic cases each year – so after your filing date your case may get added onto an already busy judge’s calendar and they need to hear older cases first before hearing yours – potentially taking eight-12 months or longer until your hearing date arrives! However, hiring an attorney may help minimize duration by filing necessary paperwork on time and requesting hearing dates quickly.
High-Net-Worth Divorce
Divorces involving couples who possess substantial financial assets worth at least $1 million can be highly complex affairs, necessitating complex asset valuations, tax considerations, and the possibility of spousal support issues.
HNWIs often own multiple businesses that must be valued and divided during divorce proceedings, which may take considerable time if each venture is well established and lucrative.
As soon as multiple luxury assets, such as real estate holdings, investment portfolios and art collections are involved in assessing their values, it becomes more complicated. HNWIs should consider engaging the services of forensic accountants or valuation specialists to gain an accurate picture of their holdings.
Spousal support is a critical element in any divorce proceeding, and in high-net-worth divorces this calculation often requires an in-depth evaluation of both spouses’ assets, income potential and lifestyle factors. Reaching an agreement on terms can take longer in these instances if both parties must agree upon them first; to expedite matters more efficiently a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement covering all issues can help speed things along and reduce cost and stress during litigation proceedings.
Time-Saving Tips
Assembling all of the documents required by your attorney can save time and billable hours when filing paperwork, including income, assets, debts, pension funds, real estate and cars. A prompt delivery can save many billable hours spent searching for missing paperwork.
When communicating with your attorney, try using email as often as possible instead of calling. Most attorneys charge by the hour and making repeated phone calls just to confirm simple information could add up over time and cost you money in terms of legal fees and attorney-client privilege coverage. Also keep in mind that email correspondence may also protect your rights as an individual client.
One common source of delay can be when clients act impulsively and make decisions they will later regret, such as leaving profane voicemails for their soon-to-be ex, sending similar text or email messages, and giving away property they believed was safe from disclosure. Such actions often end up coming to light during court proceedings and could only hurt your case further than help it; so remember to remain calm and businesslike at all times, even when dealing with difficult emotions; the more collaboratively with your divorce lawyer your efforts, the higher your chance for a speedy resolution to your case!
