DIVORCE IN ALABAMA – HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE?

You might wish you could skip ahead to the point where your marriage dissolves if you are considering getting a divorce in Alabama. Divorces may be expensive, emotionally draining, and drawn-out.

Disputed divorce proceedings may drag on and seem all-consuming. This post aims to give you a general understanding of how long it might take for a divorce to be granted in Alabama. However, the schedule for each divorce may vary depending on the facts and circumstances of each case.

Schedule a consultation with the contested divorce lawyer Birmingham for personalized comments and counsel tailored to your specific situation.

Minimum Residency Requirements

The residence requirement is the first thing to comprehend when filing for divorce in Alabama. Before petitioning for divorce, you must have lived in Alabama for at least six months. The state identification card or driver’s license can serve as proof of Alabama residency.

You must wait to submit your application if you cannot meet the residency criteria. For this reason, it is a good idea to begin preparing to establish residency as soon as possible.

Waiting Period

When you petition for divorce with the court, there is a 30-day waiting period before the court can issue you a divorce. The divorce will typically take more than 30 days to complete.

The process will take less than ten weeks in most uncontested divorce cases. Compared to uncontested divorces, however, contested divorces take much longer to complete.

Regardless, if the residence requirement is met, a waiting period of at least 30 days is required before a divorce can be granted.

How long does a divorce take if it is uncontested versus contested?

Uncontested divorces are much more effective. In an uncontested divorce, all the terms of the divorce have been agreed upon by the spouses. This indicates the court does not need to make a decision. Simple evaluation and rejection of the proposed divorce agreement are possible.

The spouses do not concur on the planned outcome in a contested divorce. Each spouse must present and defend their preferred resolution to the court. The court will then decide how to rule. Each partner has less influence over what happens.

Considering that there are so many issues at stake, these proceedings can drag on for a long time, depending on the commitment of each spouse. This process can be sped up with mediation, and disputes involving high assets can take years to resolve.

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