Once you have filed your divorce papers whether online or through a lawyer, you will have to appear at a court hearing. Being prepared for this hearing is important to make the process go smoothly. What should you bring with you?

Usually it will take a few months before the hearing will occur depending on the court case loads and how many issues you have to work through. Once you get the summons to appear in court you need to be ready. The length of time it will take from beginning to end will also depend on if the divorce is contested or not. The courts would rather a couple solve their own issues instead of having the courts do it for them. If all issues are resolved it shouldn’t take very long at all.

Both parties will be required to disclose any documents in their custody that are relevant to the case. For example any property, assets or support given to either partner, bank statements, earning records, or retirement plans are all documents that must be supplied. In some cases, documents might be sought through discovery from a third party where either spouse might be hiding income or assets.

Any questions you wish answered must be done before the hearing - delivered by sworn Answers to Interrogatories. Some states require a leave to how many questions you are able to ask and the spouse may object to answering any of these. The courts will decide if the objections are valid.

You need to bring all these papers with you if you haven’t already signed a divorce agreement. If you have the hearing is just a formality taking roughly half an hour. The judge reviews all relevant information and rules the divorce final. Being prepared for the hearing goes a long way to making the divorce go smoothly.