As an uncontested divorce lawyer in Illinois counties of Cook, Lake, DuPage, Will, and others, often people call me asking “What is the difference between contested and uncontested divorce?” If you want an affordable and fast divorce, it is crucial that you understand the answer to that question.
There are two types of divorce available in most states: contested and uncontested divorce.
Contested Divorce
In a contested divorce the spouses don’t agree, and instead, litigate. Contested divorce is fairly commonplace, though many contested cases settle without a trial. There are various hot-button issues in contested divorce:
- child custody
- child support
- property division
- asset distribution
- debt allocation
- alimony
- temporary spousal support
Uncontested Divorce
An uncontested divorce is sometimes referred to as an “amicable” or “no-fault” divorce .
In truth, spouses need not be amicable in an uncontested divorce. They can even hate each other. They just need to agree on all the issues involving divorce.
In contrast to a contested divorce that can take years to complete, an uncontested divorce can be very quick. Some of my have taken less than one month.
Most married people who want to get divorced probably would prefer uncontested divorce because of its speed, simplicity, convenience, privacy, and inexpensiveness. The efficiency and cost savings of uncontested divorces are the major advantages highlighted by most divorcing couples.
Starting your unc0ntested divorce
You might also check out my articles “When is the right time to get divorced?” and “Divorce after one visit to court? Yes!“