Minneapolis Attorney - The Divorce Process

Hennepin County Divorce Court Lawyer

It is basic human nature to fear the unknown more than the known. At the Minneapolis family law firm of Kathleen Newman + Associates, we make sure that one of the first conversations we have with new clients covers timelines and procedures in divorce cases. In our experience, clients who are armed with that basic information are better able to focus on critical divorce-related issues like parenting plans, spousal support and division of property.

If you are seeking divorce counsel who will provide clear information about the divorce process, honest advice about your options, and protective advocacy as you move through the process, contact Kathleen Newman + Associates.

"Kathleen is pretty direct, but I also feel like I can trust her. From the beginning, we could communicate about any issue and it wasn't uncomfortable. She is very good at the interpersonal skills that I found lacking in other attorneys." -Charlene J.

The Divorce Process: How Long Does It Take?

It is possible to get a divorce within a week in Minnesota, which does not have a pre-divorce waiting period. If you want a fast divorce, however, you will most likely end up accepting all the terms proposed by your current spouse.

On average, divorces in Hennepin County take about nine months. To be more specific, divorce cases that settle tend to take 6-9 months and divorce cases that go to trial take about 12-18 months.

What to Expect During Your Divorce

After the initial divorce papers are filed, the parties must wait for a judicial assignment and then schedule a first meeting with the judge, which may occur up to three months after the divorce papers are filed.

If you attempt to settle your divorce via negotiation or mediation and are successful, the divorce may be finalized within another three to six months. That time is spent locating and valuing assets and negotiating parenting plans, child support and spousal maintenance. This time period may also include social early neutral evaluations and/or financial early neutral evaluations by neutral professionals who make recommendations about parenting time and financial issues.

If negotiation and mediation are unsuccessful, then the process will take an additional three to nine months. The remaining steps in a contested divorce include the temporary hearing to set temporary orders regarding children and finances, the pre-trial conference to set a trial date, and the trial itself.

Contact Our Minneapolis Divorce Law Firm

Attorney Kathleen Newman is Board-Certified as a Family Law Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. She has been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in America for 12 years,* consistently named a Super Lawyer by Minnesota Law & Politics Magazine,‡ and is a fellow in the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

For additional answers to your questions about the divorce process, contact a Minneapolis divorce lawyer online, call 612-424-9477 or call toll free 888-862-4174.

* The Best Lawyers in America 2007. Copyright 2006 by Woodward/White, Inc., Aiken, SC.

‡ Law & Politics polls, researches, and selects Super Lawyers through a peer recognition and professional achievement process. Only 5 percent of the lawyers in each state or region are named in Super Lawyers.