How long does a dissolution take?
California has a six-month waiting period, which begins when the respondent is served with the summons and petition for dissolution. Complex cases will take longer than six months to resolve, but even in those cases, it is possible to terminate the marital status after six months, and reserve jurisdiction over all other issues. The court will impose conditions on the spouse who seeks this bifurcation of marital status before all the other issues are resolved.
