How long does it take to get divorced?
The quickest timeline for a divorce is a little more than two months, and it requires both parties to be in agreement. That is because of a 60-day Waiting PeriodUnder Arizona law, you must wait sixty (60) days from the date of service (i.e., the date the party who didn't file the divorce is formally served with the paperwork) before the divorce can be completed. This is implemented by the Legislature as a matter of public policy to…Read more about Waiting Period that is put in place under Arizona law. On this timeline, one spouse files the Petition for DissolutionA document that starts a case to end a marriage, i.e., the paperwork that starts the divorce.Read more about Petition for Dissolution, the paperwork that starts the divorce. Then they serve the other spouse (when things are amicable, this is done by giving your spouse the paperwork and having them sign a notarized document that they received it, and this is then filed with the Court. That service date is important because it starts the sixty-day waiting period. At the end of the Waiting PeriodUnder Arizona law, you must wait sixty (60) days from the date of service (i.e., the date the party who didn't file the divorce is formally served with the paperwork) before the divorce can be completed. This is implemented by the Legislature as a matter of public policy to…Read more about Waiting Period, the two of you can file your Consent DecreeWhen the parties agree on all issues in a divorce, they draft and submit a Consent Decree. The Consent Decree should contain all the parties’ agreements on all the outstanding issues. Where children are involved, a Parenting Plan must be included with the Consent Decree. If…Read more about Consent Decree (and Parenting PlanThis is the Court order that contains the legal decision-making and parenting time orders. It sets forth the parenting time schedule and includes the other custody orders.Read more about Parenting Plan, if you have children, and a Property Settlement AgreementThis is a document that is part of the Divorce Decree. It divides up all the property. It gives substantially more protection and convey stronger title than do similar provisions made in a Consent Decree alone.Read more about Property Settlement Agreement, if necessary). These are the documents that divorce you, contain your agreement, and divide your property and decide what happens with your child. Once the papers are signed by the judge, you are divorced.
