My divorce from the initial legal visit was 6 months...every state, every county the back log is different....I have heard of soe counties taking 12-15 month just to do a simple we both want out and here is tha agreed decree.....if it is contested it could take a very long time I know of a couple that are at the 3+ year mark and one party is busting their hindeee to mke it final....the other isn't...

As for settlement..hold out for your fair share...DON'T sign anything without your attorney discussing it with you and you understanding it.....your X/stbx most likely knows you are strapped for cash and may take advantage of you....SEE your attorney....Good Luck....

8/8/07 I got my lawyer
had some complications in March/April 08
Settlement 6/30/08
Finalized 12/16/08

In California. Filed in Nov. Divorce will be final May 15, 2009.

Filed in 10/07 and should be done in the next month or two.

Are you getting support? If not, file a complaint with Domestic Relations and he will have to give you money! He can't just "move on"!
I filed the end of July and I thought we were going to try to work things out, but apparently that did not work. I just had my support hearing, so I am not very far along.
Good luck to you!

In Wyoming... IF I would have agreed to his demands, it would have been final in 10 - 14 days. Since I wouldn't, we have a court date in April--he filed late September. AGAIN Don't sign anything without your lawyer explaining and advising. I keep telling myself this is the worst it will be--I can survive this so if it all drags out for years (though it won't) I will be fine.

It takes longer if you have assets, and having assets is better that not having any. Depending on what state you live in, it is a bit different in all states. In my state, there is an 120 day cooling off period where nothing happens from the date of filing. We filed in August, it took until the following April, about 9 months. We did not go to trial, we settled the morning of the divorce trial. We negotiated the house, the state of Wi divides all investments as this is a community property state, and I got maintenance as I was married over 27 years, and had not worked in a while.

If you had a first hearing, that is when the court orders that the assets be evauluated, such as an appraisal for the house, your investents, 401ks pensions etc. Good news is that is is paid for, you do not have to agree to sell him the house, unless he is willing to pay to you your share of the appraised value or other agreement that you come to.

As far as a temporary order of support, you are not going to get one if you have an income and are getting by on your own, but as your income is less than his, and the length of the marriage, you could get an equalization of marital support as your income is less, for a length of time after divorce. Talk to your lawyer, he is living in a paid for marital asset while your income is going to pay rent. HE can not decide to take the house on his own, this is negotiable. How is he going to buy you out? He may have to re-mortgage the house to buy you out. If you do not agree on a price, you could agree to sell it and split it.. that may be your bargaining point, not to mention that you are now living in lesser means, with out equity and an investment.

I bought my ex out of the house by trading off investment monie(s) and did come out quite well. Everyones divorce is different, listen to your attorney. Nothing is settled until you have a settlement agreement in place, which is involved.

If he has a lawyer, and you have a lawyer, all correspondence should go between the lawyers and then down to you. I got a copy of every letter sent to my lawyer from his, and of every letter that was sent to my stbx lawyer from mine. Anything I signed came from my lawyer, period. As always, I say, educate yourself on the divorce process in your state. In todays world the online legal information that is on the internet by your State and other good legal sites is invaluable. This will be one of the biggest deals you will ever broker, your future. Good luck with a hug!

mine became a custody thing so its going on a year and a half. there are alot of details you dont want to skip. my first lawyer screwed me over so badly. ask lots of questions so you do have a future.

Thanks Everyone,

I hope I don't lose my shirt in this whole deal. We live in a small town and I'm sure that my ex is telling everyone that I'm trying to take all his money away from him. My lawyer told me not to agree to anything about the house because it has to be part of the settlement agreement.