In the state of Wisconsin, by statute, 120 days must pass from the date of filing until the Courts are authorized to finalize a divorce. These 120 days are often considered as the “cooling-off period” in the divorce. If parties have a change of heart, either one may request to postpone proceedings to allow for reconciliation. This puts the Court on notice that no further hearings are needed to allow the parties to attend couple’s therapy or resolve their differences to preserve the marriage. Sometimes parties agree to dismiss the divorce filing altogether. For parties who are parents, this window of time is most often used to practice the temporary order hearing. This period also allows for the division of the marital estate to be calculated and for negotiations to be had. Ultimately, it is worth noting ahead of a divorce proceeding that the 120 statutory minimum is often the goal, not the rule for a final divorce judgment to be granted.

If there are full agreements on every custody, placement and financial issue within a marriage, the 120-day turnaround is more achievable.

If there are some disagreements, then you could expect the divorce to take between six months to a year.