Ending a marriage is a painful and stressful proposition, made all the more difficult because of uncertainties. Many couples are reluctant to pursue a divorce because they fear it will drag on forever. Fortunately, many couples are able to finalize the proceedings within a few months.
However, there are some cases where the divorce goes on for over a year. There are several explanations for why this happens.
One party being uncooperative
There are some cases where one spouse does not want to divorce. He or she will prolong the process, thinking the other spouse will have a change of heart. More times than not, this simply complicates the inevitable. Attorneys can attempt to get the other spouse to go along with the divorce, but it does slow things down considerably.
Financial experts taking time to acquire all information
In many divorce cases, both parties hire financial experts to look at current income and projected earnings to determine alimony. These experts may also play a role in recommending the best child custody arrangement. If one or both of a spouse’s financial experts have a lot of cases at the moment, then it can take them a while to handle everything.
Limited time in the judicial system
It is no surprise to hear that sometimes the court system becomes overtaxed and overrun. Many couples file for divorce in New York every month, and there are only so many family law judges to hear cases. As a result, it can sometimes take a while to receive a court date.
If a couple has to contend with a slow financial expert and a slow court system, then it is apparent why some divorces may take longer than hoped. However, this should not be a disincentive to file for divorce. If anything, it shows the importance of beginning the process as quickly as possible to get things moving.