If all issues are undisputed, a divorce can be completed in as little as a few weeks. If there are major disputes that need to be litigated in court, the divorce can take many months. On average, a divorce that settles out of court takes two to five months. A divorce that requires a court trial takes, on average, twelve to eighteen months. The amount of time it takes to obtain a divorce depends on the specifics of the case; however, there are ways to help speed up the process.


Most cases settle before trial during the settlement phase of the divorce proceeding. The sooner the parties have gathered and exchanged the information needed to start settlement negotiations; the sooner settlement may be achieved. Thus, parties can substantially affect the length of a divorce proceeding depending on the level of cooperation in gathering and providing the information requested by the other party. Not only does being obstinate in responding to information requests hinder settlement, but that type of conduct could result in sanctions being imposed by the assigned judge.