Truthfully, you will not fully understand the extent of your divorce proceedings until you go through them. Though, if you understand all the steps it takes to get a divorce in New York State, you may have a general idea of what time commitment to expect. Follow along to find out how long a New York divorce takes and how a proficient attorney at Zimmet Law Group, P.C. can help you expedite the process as much as possible.
What New York requirements may extend divorce proceedings?
First of all, New York State has a residency requirement when it comes to divorce filings. This is so the court can establish jurisdiction. That said, you or your spouse must fall into one of the following categories:
- You or your spouse must have lived in the state for at least two years directly before a divorce filing.
- You or your spouse must have lived in the state on the date of your divorce filing for at least one year directly beforehand, all while having your marriage ceremony performed in the state and living in the state as a married couple.
- You or your spouse must have lived in the state for at least one year directly before a divorce filing, all while the grounds for your divorce happened in the state.
- You or your spouse are citizens of the state on the date of your divorce filing, all while the grounds for your divorce happened in the state.
Ultimately, if you or your spouse have not yet met these requirements, then you must wait until you do to file for divorce. This may further prolong your divorce process.
What’s more is that, if you and your spouse are undergoing a no-fault divorce, then New York law requires that you be separated for at least one year. And the amount of time that you need to be separated for a fault divorce depends on the grounds that you cite.
On average, how long does a New York divorce take?
Usually, a contested New York divorce will take anywhere between nine months to 12 months. This accounts for the time between filing a complaint to finalizing the agreements. This timeline may vary depending on the following factors:
- Whether you and your spouse are citing no-fault grounds or fault grounds.
- Whether you and your spouse need to make child custody and child support agreements.
- Whether you and your spouse need to divide up high-value marital assets.
- Whether you and your spouse have a prenuptial or postnuptial agreement.
If you wish to expedite your divorce process as much as possible, then you must retain the services of a talented New York City divorce attorney. Give us a call today.
