How long does it take to get divorced in California?

As lawyers often say, “It depends.”

The divorce process will take at least six (6) months. This is a mandatory waiting period in California, and means that even if all paperwork is squared away and signed, the Court will not restore a person to the status of “single” until six months after service of the Divorce Petition (or the date the Respondent “appeared” in the action). The true time it will take to get divorced in California will depend on a variety of factors, like the amount of issues disputed between the parties (i.e. child custody disputes, property issues, hidden assets, undisclosed income), the court’s calendar (which is often crowded which causes extensive delays), and the amount of cooperation from both parties.

“Uncontested” divorces where the parties are able to make agreements on the issues in their divorce are completed more quickly than ones where the issues must be decided by the Judge.