How Long Does a Divorce Take in Connecticut?

Spouses planning to terminate their marriage usually have many questions related to the divorce timeline. They may ask, “How long do you have to be separated before divorce in CT?”, “How long does a divorce take in CT?”, “What is the timeframe of each step?”, and the like.

The duration of the divorce process is mostly determined by the Connecticut divorce waiting period and is also affected by other circumstances. The separation period depends on the grounds for your marriage dissolution.

If you want to prepare for your uncontested divorce quickly and without stress, our online service can help. After completing an understandable questionnaire, you will get a set of documents required for your case ready to be filed with the court.

How Long Does an Uncontested Divorce Take in Connecticut?

The average duration of an agreed-upon marriage dissolution is between 35 and 60 days. How long does an uncontested divorce take in Connecticut exactly? It depends on what your divorce process will be.

If the duration of your marriage is less than 9 years and you do not have minor children, a large amount of joint property, disagreements about its division, and meet other specific requirements (Conn. Gen. Stat. §46b-44a), you can divorce according to a simplified procedure. After you file a Joint Petition with the court, you must complete the 30-day waiting period required to obtain a divorce decree (Conn. Gen. Stat. §46b-44c). The case may be finalized in 35 days without the need for spouses to attend a court hearing if the judge considers the agreements fair.

How long does it take to get a divorce in CT if you do not file for summary process but conclude a Marital Agreement? After you submit the paperwork for an uncontested case based on the Settlement Agreement, the court can set up a hearing once you file the required forms. Depending on whether the judge has any concerns about your arrangements, your divorce timeline in this situation can be from 30 to 60 days.

How Long Does a Contested Divorce Take in Connecticut?

A contested divorce process can last from 3 to 6 months or more, depending on how many disagreements a couple has about property division and child-related issues.

How long does a divorce take in Connecticut at a minimum? Given the mandatory waiting period for disputed cases in the state, it cannot last less than 90 days (Conn. Gen. Stat. §46b-67).

The divorce timeline for contested cases sometimes reaches a year or even more. It occurs when parties need help resolving disputes regarding divorce terms and turn to lawyers, mediators, evaluators, and other specialists. Attorneys’ busy schedules and the court’s workload can significantly affect the overall duration of marriage dissolution.

How long does a contested divorce take in Connecticut if one of the parties wants to reconcile or disagrees with the requests made in the Divorce Complaint? It can prolong the case from 20 days to 6 months.  

How Long Does a Divorce Case Stay Open in Connecticut?

The divorce process within the state usually lasts at least until the Connecticut divorce waiting period expires but may also be extended.

After a mandatory 30-day-long waiting period for an uncontested divorce is completed, the case may still stay open. If the judge decides that the Marital Settlement Agreement is unfair to one or both spouses, the court may set a trial 30 days after the assigned disposition date (Conn. Gen. Stat. §46b-44d). It means you will get a divorce only after you attend a court hearing and the judge signs the divorce decree.

The divorce timeline for contested cases can be affected by reconciliation procedures. If one of the spouses submits a request to reconcile to the clerk’s office, the parties will have to go through mediation counseling. They need to do it twice within 30 days of filing a motion or the 90-day waiting period, whichever comes first. If either party avoids attending a mediator without a valid reason, the court may postpone the case for 6 months from the date of return (Conn. Gen. Stat. §46b-53).

How long after a divorce can you remarry in Connecticut? Starting new relations is not restricted to any particular period. You can marry someone else as soon as your marriage dissolution is finalized.  

When Is a Divorce Final in Connecticut?

A marriage dissolution within the state is final after parties have completed a mandatory Connecticut divorce waiting period and the court has issued a divorce decree.

If the defendant does not submit an Appearance by the deadline, a petitioner can prepare a Motion for the Entry of Judgment Upon Default of Appearance to schedule a hearing and finalize the divorce. They can file it with the clerk’s office 30 days after the day of return if the documents were delivered to the respondent personally and in 60 days if they were served in another way.

How long does it take for a divorce to be final in Connecticut? The divorce timeline depends on many specific circumstances. It can be about 30-35 days for uncontested cases (Conn. Gen. Stat. §46b-44c) and from 6 to 12 months for contested ones with a mandatory waiting period of 90 days (Conn. Gen. Stat. §46b-67).

An agreed-upon marriage dissolution is the fastest option to end the divorce process. To avoid wasting time on searching for the necessary forms on your own, you can use an online document preparation service to complete the paperwork you need in just a few days.