Well, speaking from only my personal experience in a different state, my sense is that if it is something scheduled to take place for more than 10 minutes (e.g. a trial that the courtroom should be pretty darn empty. Most people are not interste in seeing other people's divorce trials. if it is scheduled for a long period of time, others won't be waiting their turn, but if it is a "short" matter, then others may be waiting around until their case is called. Best I can say/guess from afar!

Thanks. Mine was an empty court and it took 15 minutes. His is 3 hours! I wish I knew what that was all about but I can only be questioning him to a certain point without sounding nosey.

The only people in the courtroom when I got divorced were the people who were there for OUR divorce. My Mom and friends were allowed in the courtroom. I am sure that it made my ex uncomfortable to have to testify, and hear testimony, about his affair with them there. It's not fun..no matter who is or isn't there.

Sounds like a trial. Chances are that nobody is going to be interested in his case enuf to sit around and occupy seats in teh courtroom. Most divorce trials are just too darn pesonal for others to want to spend any time on. Good luck to him, I am sorry that he has to go thru it, whatever the reason.

What would make it a trial versus a quicky? Now I am being nosey. :)

We are doing a collaborative divorce, not litigation. I was told by my attorney that it would be the four of us in the room and that it would take less than 5 minutes. I hadn't thought about others being there too. Kind of an uneasy thought.

In my case though, (which is what he says scares him the MOST) is my lawyer didn't say, "What is your address?" She'd say it and the only answers I had to say (all I could get out of my MOUTH as I was a crying my butt off) were yeses and nos, which did help him a bit.

And thanks for the 2 different types of divorces. That I can google and find out more. Didn't know there was a difference.

I never even thought about who would be there. I'm hoping we won't have to appear in court at all ?? isn't that possible?

I think everyone has to take the stand to make it official. My divorce was SO easy I can't believe we had lawyers! We split the house and split his pension and I only took a BIT of a maintenece payout. And that cost me about $8,000. Never did add it up.(I KNOW, to many of you, that sounds dirt cheap but she didn't do ANYthing but joke about drinking with my husband's lawyer on the way into court in FRONT of us and the drinking is what brought us there in the 1st place!) Oh, she also did add at the end, "Happy condo hunting!" when all along she KNEW I didn't want this divorce.

We had everything worked out prior to the Divorce but in SC we both still had to testify.

He had to testify about his affair and have a witness testify about his affair. That was our grounds for Divorce.

We also both had to say that we believed that this was in the best interests of our children. I will never forget my attny asking me that. I couldn't answer at first. then I thought about my 2 boys living with a man that had no respect, compassion or concern for thier Mother. Made it a much easier question to answer.

No matter how it plays out..it's a tough day.

Things sure are different in SC! Sounds unpleasant compared to no-fault states. But maybe that is cuz that is what I am used to.

Agreed. I wanted to tell the lawyer that I there because my husband drank everyday!!! and I couldn't live that way!!! but my lawyer said he didn't give a crap. SO...at the hearing, she asked if the marriage could be saved (a standard question that STILL didn't matter to the judge or anyone there so I don't know WHY it's asked?) but at least I could VOICE it out loud. I said it COULD be saved were he to get help. AHHHH....it felt so GOOD to say that. BUT...in a no fault, it didn't have any merit.

I MEANT...I wanted the JUDGE to know the reason prior to court and that's when my lawyer said he didn't care. I thought the judge may have the power to make him get help but it's not against the law to drink a 12 pack every day. :(

The first dozen or so court dates the court room was full. When we got to the final meat and potatos they excused us till the room was bare. That was the only fun court date.

This was my experience with my last divorce. Either way it was fine with me. I got a good handle on how the Judge thought by listening to others divorces.