How long does court usually take?

Crystal318

 

When you go in for the custody hearing, is it usually just that one hearing and then there is a custody order in place that same day? Or are there multiple hearing dates before a conclusion? If you are ordered to mediation, is it that same day or do you have to make an appointment, go to mediation and then wait for another hearing? What happens about visitations in the meantime? Is someone granted temporary custody?

 Any experiences/advice would be greatly appreciated.

 Thanks!

CFjo2010

Every State and every case is different. In CA, a mediation appointment udder at the time of filing. Mediation is usually a week before the hearing and the mediation report is made available on the day of the hearing. Depending on the circumstances of the case, a visitation order is made the day of the hearing. Sometimes it a temporary order and a review hearing is set 3-6 months out. But again, every case is different. 

cmanmom

It really depends on your state and how your courthouse handles things.  I'd call and ask if I were you.

For us, we got a temporary order in place while we figured out everything else in our divorce.  There we got a court date and went at the start and basically waited and watched everyone else until it was our turn.  The judge read our stuff and made a temporary plan, it was done then and there.

Then before the final, we were ordered to attempt mediation before going to court.  Then if we didn't agree in mediation (we didn't) we got a pre-trial settlement - kind of a last ditch effort to come up with a plan before "real" court.  STBX didn't show to that so we defaulted to the next date, the real trial.  STBX didn't come to that either so I basically got (within reason) everything I wanted.  The final date for court when he didn't come I have an awesome lawyer and it was all typed up and entered minutes later.  Then he was my XH! 

JCGreene85

My ex filed for visitation and I was served. Our lawyers got with the county and picked the closest mediation  date which was about a month away. We met at mediation and came to our temporary agreement in about 4 hours (keep in mind...$200 an hour...split). This was Cobb County.

Our temp order goes until March. After March we are supposed to follow the order as we agree. Whenever we don't agree we head back  to mediation. My lawyer wants to go as long as possible until we come to our final. This way, it gives me more time to figure out what I want exactly in our final so I don't forget anything. I missed a lot of valuable points in our temporary that I will not leave out next go round.  He is also pushing for a last name change so the longer that Wyatt has his last name (mine) the better chance I have that a judge wont change it (for whatever reasons...)

FyreFlyeRush

The state filed on my behalf, and we went to court about 15 months later. He was a no show. They rescheduled for 21 days later, and he STILL didn't show. I pretty much got whatever I wanted. Paternity, custody, visitation and support was established in that single court date.