Divorce is never easy, even when you and your spouse agree that it’s time to end the marriage. One of the first questions people ask in a consult is simple: “How long is this going to take? I just want to move on.” In Florida, an uncontested divorce is usually the quickest path, but the timeline still depends on how ready you both are, how organized your paperwork is, and how busy your local court happens to be. Many smooth uncontested cases wrap up in a few weeks, while others take a couple of months from start to finish.
What A Florida Uncontested Divorce Really Means
An uncontested divorce isn’t magic—it just means you both agree on the big stuff before dragging it into court. That includes what happens to the house, how you’ll split savings and debts, whether anyone pays support, and, if you have kids, how time‑sharing and child support will work. You still have to follow Florida rules like the six‑month residency requirement and file certain forms, but with a Florida Uncontested Divorce Attorney you’re not asking a judge to “pick a winner,” which keeps things calmer and faster.
A Real‑World Timeline: Weeks, Not Years
When people hear “divorce,” they picture a process that takes forever. Uncontested cases are different. If you and your spouse are on the same page and respond quickly, it’s common for everything to wrap up somewhere in the 4–12 week range. Florida law generally builds in at least a short waiting period between filing and the final judgment, and then you’re also at the mercy of the court’s calendar. That’s why some couples are done in a little over a month while others wait closer to three.
The Quiet Work Before Anything Is Filed
The preliminary phase is the informal one that occurs at your kitchen table and not in a court in which it is a preliminary hearing. It is at this point that you discuss such questions as: Who maintains the house? Do we sell it? What about credit cards, automobile loans and retirement benefits? Which timetable would be reasonable to the children? These discussions may be emotional but the more you do the preparation the better things will run in the future. Couples sometimes sign a written agreement after a lawyer-mediated or a quiet meeting having the lawyer say: we mostly agree, and then writing it down.
Sitting Down With A Lawyer Who Knows Florida
Once you’re mostly in agreement, meeting with a Florida uncontested divorce attorney is like checking your map before a long drive. You go over your plan, make sure you meet Florida’s basic requirements, and talk honestly about how long cases like yours usually take in your county. A local lawyer also spots red flags—like an unfair support arrangement or a parenting plan a judge is unlikely to approve—so you can fix them now instead of getting a nasty surprise later.
Paperwork: Boring, But It Makes Or Breaks The Timeline
No one gets excited about financial affidavits or bank statements, but Florida courts rely on them to make sure both sides know what they’re signing. You’ll need to gather things like pay stubs, tax returns, bank and retirement account statements, and details on loans and credit cards. When couples provide this information quickly and honestly, lawyers can draft the settlement agreement and parenting plan in a week or two. When documents dribble in slowly—or not at all—that’s when an “easy” case starts to drag.
Filing, Waiting, And That Short Final Hearing
Once your lawyer files everything with the court, the official clock starts. Your spouse is either formally served or signs a waiver, and then you wait for the court to review the file and set a final hearing. In many Florida counties, uncontested hearings are short and straightforward—often just a few questions about residency and confirming that you both agree to the terms. It’s not like TV; most of the drama is gone by the time you reach this point.
What Slows Things Down (Even When You Agree)
Even the friendliest divorce can hit bumps. Common delays include missing forms, numbers that don’t match, last‑minute changes of heart about the house or parenting schedule, and simple court backlog. Many people who file everything themselves find their case kicked back for corrections, which adds weeks they didn’t plan for. That’s one of the quiet ways a lawyer helps: getting it right the first time so you’re not stuck in paperwork limbo.
How A Lawyer Can Help You Move Faster—Without Rushing You
A good Florida uncontested divorce lawyer doesn’t just shuffle papers. The right lawyer keeps you organized, translates court requirements into plain English, and gently keeps things moving when life gets busy. Firms that focus on family law report that uncontested divorces with attorney guidance from a Divorce Lawyer in Miami usually stay closer to the short end of the typical timeline because forms are complete, deadlines are tracked, and small issues get solved before they become big ones.
If you and your spouse are trying to keep things calm, stay out of a long court fight, and get your divorce finished in a reasonable time, an uncontested Florida case with a lawyer’s help can be a kind of “fast lane” through a hard season—still emotional, still real, but far less chaotic than most people fear.