How Long Does a Divorce Take in Virginia? Opt for a Fast Procedure

Not only is going through a divorce unpleasant and stressful, but it’s also time-consuming and complicated since you should get familiar with the procedure, paperwork, cost, and other important details.

How long does a divorce take in Virginia? Depending on how successfully you and your spouse cooperate and negotiate, you can complete it fast, or it can drag on forever.

Divorce in Virginia—Timeline

The time it will take you to end your marriage after you’ve filed the necessary papers depends on the type of divorce you’ll have.

There are two divorce options in Virginia—contested and uncontested. Take a look at the basic difference between the two in the following table:

As legal separation is not an option in Virginia, you’ll need to file for a:

1. No-fault divorce
2. Divorce from bed and board

The latter one requires a spouse to allege fault, e.g., abandonment, desertion, or cruelty.

How Long Does a Divorce Take in Virginia? Uncontested Divorce Is the Fastest Option

A friendly divorce will take less time, money, and nerves. Once you prove you’ve been separated for at least six or twelve months (depending on whether you’ve got children or not), an uncontested divorce can be over in one to three months.

Keep in mind that a contested divorce takes over a year, depending on the complexity of your case. You should also hire an experienced lawyer, which will increase the total cost of your divorce.

To avoid problems, reduce legal costs, and get divorced as soon as possible, you should work hard to reach an agreement with your soon-to-be-ex-spouse about all matters. If you cannot work out some issues alone, you could:

1. Try mediation
2. Consult an attorney

Steps to a Virginia Uncontested Divorce

Here are the additional steps you’ll need to take when opting for an uncontested divorce:

• Submit a bill of complaint and other required forms—You should file them with your local circuit court
• Have your spouse served with the divorce papers—Ask the sheriff’s office or an impartial third party to serve the papers to your spouse
• Give your spouse time to file an answer—The spouse has 21 days to file an answer to the circuit court. If they don’t, the court may grant the divorce by default
• Decide on divorce hearing—You can use a deposition or affidavit or ask for a formal hearing in front of a judge or commissioner
• Wait for the court to enter a ruling—While a judge commonly issues a verdict at the end of the hearing, they also have to sign a Final decree of divorce

If your case is clear, you might not even have to go to court to complete your divorce. Sign up for DoNotPay to prepare a divorce settlement agreement smoothly and avoid unnecessary stress and costs.

DoNotPay Provides Reliable Help With Divorce Settlement Agreements

You can save energy, time, and money by getting DoNotPay’s assistance. We know all state requirements, and once you provide the details of your case, our app can generate a divorce settlement agreement tailored to your particular situation. Hiring a lawyer to draft the document from scratch is not necessary.

Subscribe to DoNotPay and take these steps:

1. Enter the Divorce Settlement Agreement in the search box
2. Answer our chatbot’s questions
3. Provide information about your income and property

DoNotPay uses your answers and state-specific rules to create a top-notch document. We can also facilitate the notarization process in the same app. You can get your settlement agreement and any other document notarized with our Notarize Any Document tool. Our partners work around the clock, so you can meet a notary on a live video call whenever it suits you.

If you’d like to learn more about the divorce-related hot topics, read our helpful articles on:

• When to turn to mediation
• How to get an online or low-cost divorce
• How to go through a military divorce in the Old Dominion
• What you should know about the divorce process in Fairfax County and Virginia Beach

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