Time scales

[smiler01]

Just wondered if someone could tell me rough timescales, I know it will depend on how busy courts are etc but once a court receives the divorce petition how long roughly does it take for them to process the paperwork an once respondent returns forms etc till the decree nisi is issued???
I know after that you have to wait 6 weeks before applying for the absolute but just wondering how long till were at the stage of waitin the last 6 weeks.

There are no negotiations needed respondent agrees, it's just a case of completing the forms and sending them in respondent doing his bit then getting the nisi.
Any idea how long that all could take?

Thank you

[mumblechum1]

In my local courts (Reading and Oxford), petitions are normally turned round within a week, so if they receive it on a Monday, it'll be posted to the Respondent on the Friday/Mon.

Then from when the respondent returns the Acknowledgement of Service Form to the court, another week (though if he/she is using a lawyer they'll send a copy to the petitioner's solicitor so that they can get on with preparing the paperwork for the DN while the court is sending out a sealed copy of the Acknowledgement.

Then the Petnr signs the Appln. for DN, then the court will take 3 weeks or so for the district judge to check and approve it, and then it'll be listed for the next batch of DNs 9usually twice a month).

Short answer:

About 10 to 12 weeks from submitting Petn to receiving DN.