Many people want to know how long a divorce takes. It is a big question for your life and your future. Knowing the timeline can help you plan.
What is the shortest time for a divorce in Michigan?
State Rules: Michigan has laws that set the shortest time for a divorce. Think of it like a waiting time that everyone must follow. You cannot make it go any faster than what the law says.
Two Time Clocks: There are two main waiting times set by the law. The time is different if you have young children. Cases with kids need more time to make sure the kids are okay.
The Waiting Times:
- If You Have No Kids: The shortest wait is 60 days.
- If You Have Kids: The shortest wait is 180 days, or about six months.
- It Is The Law: These waiting times are the rule for everyone in Michigan.
Why We Have to Wait:
- Time to Be Sure: The wait gives you time to be sure you want to end the marriage.
- Time to Get Ready: It gives you time to get your papers ready for the court.
- Time for Kids: The longer wait for kids helps make good plans for them.
Real-Life Example: A man and woman filed papers on May 1st. They have no children. The soonest their divorce can be over is after 60 days have passed, around July 1st.
Why do kids make a divorce take longer?
Kids Come First: When there are children, the court wants to protect them. The law adds more time to make sure all choices are good for the kids. This means there are more steps to take.
Big Things to Talk About: The extra time is used to talk about important things for the children. This includes where they will live and how they will be cared for. You can see a video that talks about the steps here.
Plans for the Children:
- Where Kids Live: You must decide who the children will live with day to day.
- Seeing Both Parents: You must make a plan for when the other parent sees the kids.
- Money for Kids: You must decide how to share the costs of raising the children.
Extra Steps with Kids:
- Help from the Court: A court office called the Friend of the Court will help.
- Classes for Parents: Some courts make parents go to a class about helping their kids.
- Writing a Plan: Parents must write down a full plan for how they will care for their kids.
Real-Life Example: Sue and John have a young son. Their case must wait at least 180 days. This time lets their law helpers, like the Michigan child care helpers, make a good plan for their son.
Can a divorce be very fast?
A Quick Divorce: Yes, a divorce can be finished in 60 days. This is only if there are no kids and the two people agree on everything. They have no fights about money or things they own.
When It Is Possible: A fast divorce is most common for a very short marriage. Both people agree it was a mistake and they have few things to split. A quick divorce is possible, but it is not what happens for most people.
What You Need for a Fast Divorce:
- You Must Agree: Both people must agree on how to end the marriage.
- You Have No Kids: The 60-day time is only for people with no young children.
- You Have Few Things: There are no big things like a house to argue over.
Why Most Divorces Are Slower:
- People Fight: Most couples have at least one thing they do not agree on.
- Splitting Things: It takes time to split up a home, cars, or money.
- Hard Feelings: It is hard for two people who are upset to agree on things.
Real-Life Example: A couple was married for only six months. They did not own a home together. They agreed on how to split, so their divorce was done soon after the 60 days passed.
What does doing a ‘good job’ in a divorce mean?
Not Just About Speed: A good divorce is not always a fast one. It means your law helper takes time to get you a fair result. Rushing can cause problems that are hard to fix later on.
Looking at Everything: Doing a good job means looking at all the details. This means all the money and things you both own. It means making sure the final paper from the judge is fair for you.
Steps for a Good Job:
- Get the Facts: Your law helper gets all the money papers from the other person.
- Talk to Find a Deal: They try to make a deal that is good for you.
- Get Ready for a Judge: If you cannot make a deal, your helper gets ready to talk to the judge.
What Can Happen if You Rush:
- You Can Lose Money: You might not get your fair share of things.
- You Can Make a Bad Deal: You might agree to something that hurts you later.
- You Can Have More Fights: A bad deal can lead to more fights in the future.
Real-Life Example: A woman wanted her divorce to be over fast. She did not wait for her helper to see all of her husband’s money papers. Later, she learned she lost out on money that should have been hers.
What is the court’s normal time for a divorce?
How the Court Sees It: The court has its own ideas about time. Judges are supposed to finish cases in a good amount of time. A state office watches to see how long cases are open.
The One-Year Mark: For a divorce with kids, a judge will often not feel rushed before one year. A year gives everyone time to work on the case. Knowing about court timelines can help you know what to expect.
Why a Year is Normal:
- Time to Share Facts: It gives law helpers time to share all the money papers.
- Time for Outside Help: Sometimes you need help to find out what a house is worth.
- Time to Make a Deal: It gives both people many chances to make a deal.
How Courts Keep Things Moving:
- After a Year: A judge might start to push the law helpers to finish the case.
- Setting a Court Date: The court will set a date for a judge to make the final choices.
- Courts Want Cases to End: Courts do not like when cases take too long to finish.
Real-Life Example: Bob’s divorce took 11 months. He and his wife owned a small shop together. It took that long to figure out a fair way to split the shop, and the court was okay with that time.
Can a divorce take many, many years?
The Very Long Case: You might hear a story of a divorce that took 10 years. This is not normal. The real divorce case is usually over in about a year or less. New
Fights After It Is Over: When a case feels like it lasts for years, it is often due to new fights. These new fights happen after the judge has already signed the final paper. The divorce is over, but the people go back to court.
New Fights After a Divorce:
- Changing the Kids’ Plan: One parent wants to change the plan for the children.
- One Parent Wants to Move: A parent wants to move far away with the kids.
- Money Problems: One person may need more or less money for the kids.
Why New Fights Start:
- Life Can Change: A person can lose a job or get a new one.
- People Move On: One person may find a new partner.
- Kids Grow Up: The needs of children change as they get older.
Real-Life Example: A couple’s divorce was over in one year. But for the next five years, they kept going back to court. They fought over summer plans and school choices for their children.
What if we fight about everything?
A Case with Fights: When a couple cannot agree on big things, the case will take longer. A judge will have to make the choices for them. This means each person needs time to get ready to talk to the judge.
How to Handle Fights: The law helpers for each person will try to solve the fights. They will share papers and have meetings. If they still cannot agree, the case goes to the judge to decide.
Common Things to Fight About:
- Splitting a House: Deciding who gets the family home and who moves out.
- Asking for Money: Deciding if one person should pay the other for support.
- Choices for Kids: Deciding who makes big choices about health and school.
Steps in a Case with Fights:
- Start the Case: The first step is to file the papers to start the divorce.
- Share Information: The law helpers ask for and share papers about money and kids.
- Talk to a Judge: A judge listens to both sides and makes the final choices for you.
Real-Life Example: A husband and wife could not agree on how to split their savings. Their case with disagreements took more time because their law helpers had to get ready to talk to a judge.
How does the court make sure a case ends?
Court Dates and Rules: The court wants all cases to end. They use a calendar with dates and deadlines to keep things moving. A judge will give dates for when things must be done.
A Push from the Judge: If a case gets too old, the judge will tell the law helpers to finish it. The judge might ask them to come in for a meeting. The goal is to get the case to an end for the family.
How Courts Move Cases:
- Setting a Calendar: The court gives a list of all the dates and deadlines.
- Meetings with the Judge: The judge asks for updates on how the case is going.
- Setting a Final Date: This gives a final day for the case to be heard and decided.
Why Courts Want Cases to End:
- It Is Fair: It is not fair for people to be stuck in a court case for years.
- It Helps the System: The court needs to make room for other new cases.
- It Helps Families: Ending the case helps people and their kids move on.
Real-Life Example: A case was almost two years old. The judge told the law helpers they had 30 days to make a deal. If they did not, they had to come to court on a set date with no more delays.
Your Feelings Take Time: The court has a time clock, but your heart has its own clock. It takes time to feel better after a divorce. Be kind to yourself and do not rush your feelings.
Do Your Part: You cannot control the court or the other person. But you can control your own actions. Give your law helper the papers they need and be clear about what you want to help your case.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What is the fastest divorce time in Michigan?
The fastest is 60 days if there are no young children and you both agree. With young children, the fastest time is 180 days.
2. Does it matter who starts the divorce?
No, it does not give anyone a head start. The same waiting times and rules apply to both people in the marriage.
3. Can we live in the same house while we wait?
Yes, the law does not say you have to live in different houses. But sometimes living apart can make things feel calmer.
4. What if we agree on everything?
If you agree on everything, the divorce is often much faster. It will also cost less money in fees to law helpers.
5. Do I have to go in front of a judge?
Most cases end without a big court fight. You might have to go to the court for one short meeting for the judge to sign your final paper.
6. What is the Friend of the Court?
The Friend of the Court is an office at the court that helps with cases that have children. They help make plans for child support and parenting time.
7. How much will this cost me?
The cost can be very different for each case. Cases with no fights cost much less than cases with big fights that go to a judge.
8. Can we change things after the divorce is over?
Some things, like money for kids or the kids’ schedule, can be changed later if a big life change happens. Splitting your things is usually a final choice.
9. What if my spouse says no to the divorce?
You can still get a divorce in Michigan. If one person wants the divorce, the court can make it happen.
10. Does a long marriage mean a long divorce?
It can, because longer marriages often have more things and money to sort out. This can make the case take more time to finish.
11. What if my spouse lives in another state?
You can still get a divorce in Michigan if you have lived here long enough. But cases with people in two different states can take extra steps.
12. How can I make my divorce go faster?
Get your money papers in order and try to work with the other person on small things. But remember that a fast divorce is not always a good divorce.
Every family is different, and the time your case takes will be special to you. The best way to know your own timeline is to talk to a law expert.
If you have questions about your own case, please call us. We are here to help you.
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