HOW LONG DOES A TEXAS DIVORCE TAKE?
In Texas, the required waiting period is 60 days, which means there must be 60 days between filing the petition for divorce and finalizing it. It’s rare that a case that actually gets finalized immediately after the end of the waiting period.
What goes into the length of the divorce process?
Many of my clients spend time working out emotional damage. They could be upset with their spouse for several reasons. They may not have wanted the divorce. The relationship could have not gone as expected. Outside of emotional factors, not all divorce proceedings are cut-and-dry. We must come to agreements or gather evidence to show what is fair and equitable. It could involve child custody agreements, finances, or property. If a case requires discovery, that takes time too.
For instance, one party may have been in control of the finances. If we can’t get the information we need, we’ll have to conduct discovery to get a clearer picture of the marital estate. It works the same way with a child custody case. We may need to do discovery or a child custody evaluation (social study). Social study investigators take an extensive look into the parties’ lifestyles, which often takes months to complete because they do home visits, sessions with the parents and children, and find out what loved ones and references have to say.
Organizing this information often motivates settlement at mediation and helps the judge streamline the evidence at trial.
