Oklahoma law establishes specific timeframes for divorce proceedings, as Title 43 of the Oklahoma Statutes outlines. The duration of your divorce largely hinges on two key factors: whether you have kids under 18 and if you and your spouse see eye to eye on the terms.
You’re looking at a relatively quick process for couples without minor children who agree on everything (we call this “uncontested”). The court requires a 10-day cooling-off period after you file the paperwork. If you can show a compelling reason and your spouse is on board, a judge might cut you some slack and waive this waiting period.
Things move a bit slower when minor children are in the picture. The law mandates a 90-day wait before finalizing an uncontested divorce. Again, judges have some wiggle room here – if both parties make a convincing case, they might shorten this timeframe.
When spouses can’t reach an agreement (contested divorce), all bets are off timing-wise. Depending on your situation’s complexity, these cases can drag on for months or even years. You might be dealing with thorny issues like splitting up property, figuring out who gets the kids when, or just trying to get court dates that work for everyone.
Here’s the kicker – before you can even start the divorce process, at least one of you needs to have called Oklahoma home for at least six months. This residency requirement is non-negotiable.
While this overview covers the basics, divorce law can get pretty messy. It would be wise to contact a family law attorney who can walk you through the specifics of your case.
