Mistakes to avoid that could lengthen your divorce

It can take time to get a divorce. Florida, like other states, has residency requirements stating how long you or your spouse need to reside in the state before you can complete your divorce. Many states also require spouses seeking a divorce to go through a waiting period and a mandatory separation period wherein a certain number of days or months must pass before you can complete your divorce.

These waiting periods can be frustrating, especially if you are eager to end your marriage and begin your post-divorce life. Complicating matters is the fact that there are other factors that could arise during the divorce process that could increase the time it takes to complete your divorce.

Service of divorce

When you file for divorce, your spouse will be served with the divorce papers. While this can sometimes be a relatively straightforward process, some spouses will try to hide from those trying to serve them in person, which could lengthen the time it takes to divorce. This is especially true if the divorce papers need to be served in a different way, such as by mail.

Conflict in the divorce process

If you are seeking a divorce, it is likely that you and your spouse have some major disagreements. If your spouse keeps up a contentious attitude throughout the divorce process, it could lengthen the time it takes to complete your divorce.

Arguing about every little issue, rather than going into the divorce process with a mindset of compromise, can take time. Often, a divorce can be settled quicker through negotiations between the spouses, rather than having to go before a judge with every single issue.

Disclosure of assets

When you go through the property division process in your divorce, you and your spouse will have to disclose all of your marital and separate assets. The purpose of this is to ensure that you each have a clear picture of your marital assets so you can make informed decisions during property division.

Some spouses, in an effort to gain an advantage over the other spouse, will try to hide assets. If so, it may take time to uncover them so the property division process can continue. Also, if a spouse hides assets, they could be penalized by the court, which can also lengthen the divorce process.

Avoid making these mistakes in your divorce

The divorce process can take long enough. Complicating matters is the fact that some spouses will try to avoid service, will remain contentious or will hide assets. If these mistakes can be avoided, it can help the divorce run smoothly and reach completion in a satisfactory timeframe.