Divorce can be a long and emotionally draining process. Experiencing delays can only prolong the pain of going through it. Couples looking forward to moving on may see this as an endless roadblock to their future. Fortunately, there are ways to overcome the most common causes of divorce delays.
Prepare for your hearing
Court backlogs are one of the most common delays in legal proceedings, not just divorce cases. In Fairfax County, divorce cases are heard in the circuit court, which also handles a range of other civil and criminal matters. Scheduling for appearances may be difficult because of the volume of cases the court needs to hear.
Although it will be challenging to get an earlier schedule, what couples can do is be prepared for the hearing. Getting all documents beforehand gives them more time to organize their thoughts before presenting their case. By doing so, they can avoid having rescheduled hearings, which can impact the timeline of their case.
Try to settle complex issues before going to court
Meanwhile, the complex issues surrounding a divorce case may also be why matters cannot move along quickly. A range of topics needs to be discussed, from legal to financial problems. Emotional subjects such as child custody and support may drag on for months. And if one or both parties are uncooperative or unwilling to negotiate, the case could go on until both parties can reach an agreement.
What couples can do is try and talk things out first. Though it might be hard, especially for those with lots of disagreements, it may save them a lot of time and resources. They may even consider mediation to help them resolve issues more quickly and with less stress. In some cases, they might not need to go to court after discussing things and working with mediators.
Delays in a divorce case can cause both parties a lot of stress. But there are ways to get through these if divorcing couples take time to consider what could work best to speed up the process.
