March 6, 2012
Many prospective clients come to our firm wondering “How long will my family law case take?” Unfortunately, the truth is that every case is different and it is hard to gauge how quickly a case will progress.
Oftentimes parties might collaborate and agree on many terms of the divorce, timesharing or parenting issues before consulting with a Boca Raton family law attorney or filing a petition with the court. However, after speaking with an attorney, they might realize that very important questions still remain about issues that they might not have been considered. Those outstanding questions could lengthen the time that it takes for a case to resolve, even if the parties are in general agreement from the outset. It is also one of the important reasons to consult with a Boca Raton divorce attorney before signing any marital settlement or timesharing agreements with the other party. You could fail to consider an important aspect of your divorce or family law matter simply because you want the process to go faster.
How Long Will It Take?
In cases where the parties have not agreed or where the proceedings are contentious, the cases might take months, or even years, to finish. Issues surrounding financial matters, children and timesharing, alimony, child support, or relocation might need to be investigated or litigated. Discovery may need to be conducted and experts might need to be retained to facilitate the case. Usually, it takes time to find an appropriate support cast, get them up to speed on your case, and the parties may need to utilize the appropriate Florida Family Law rules of Procedure to make sure the case is handled appropriately. Litigation oftentimes takes time, getting court dates on short notice can be difficult, and certain procedures may need to be followed before trial dates are offered by the court.
Many jurisdictions schedule case management conferences with the presiding judges to help ensure that cases remain on track. This allows the judges or hearing officers to monitor the progression of cases to make sure they do not become stale or remain on the docket without forward progress for an extended period of time. Our attorney has experience with case management conferences and, should you retain our services, attend those conferences as part of handling the matter for our clients.
The Law Office of Matthew D. Martin has experience with family law matters. We understand that the emotions involved with divorce and matrimonial law are strong and sometimes we want to get everything finalized as fast as possible. You also might want the case to move quickly so that you can start a new relationship with someone else, relocate with your children to a new area, or you are simply looking to start a new chapter in your life. Whatever the reason, sometimes speed is not the best manner to handle a divorce or child custody case and we are here to make sure that your case is handled in the most efficient manner possible.
Our firm offers free consultations and we are available to help determine what issues exist in your case and how to handle your case. Contact us now to setup a free consultation with a Boca Raton family law attorney. 888-984-6487