HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO GET A DIVORCE IN ILLINOIS?

The answer depends on the issues in your family, the number of disputed issues, and the reasonableness of the parties and their attorneys. If all goes smoothly, a divorce can be completed in two months.  I recently had a client who came to me. I drafted a proposed settlement agreement on all issues; we negotiated for two days, reached an agreement, and the parties were divorced in two weeks. That is unusual because there are usually at least some issues in dispute that delay the process. If the case needs to be tried on any issue, a divorce could certainly take over a year or longer, especially in Cook County. 

It is important to resolve divorce issues as quickly as possible, for the sake of both parties and especially the children. Being in limbo as far as finances and living arrangements is very stressful. Also, generally the longer a divorce takes, the more attorney’s fees are expended.