An Uncontested Divorce After a Short Marriage, Slowed by a Court-Ordered Hearing

Not every uncontested divorce moves at the same pace, even when the paperwork itself is simple. This case is a good example of the difference between a clean settlement and a fast finish — the two don't always go together.

The couple had been married only a few months. There was no marital home, no vehicles titled jointly, no shared bank accounts, and no debts either spouse had taken on for the other. Both spouses mutually waived alimony. With nothing to negotiate over, the settlement agreement itself came together quickly, and both spouses were ready to sign within a matter of weeks of retaining the firm.

Signing happened the way it does in most of the firm's cases: each spouse met separately, on their own schedule, with an independent Florida-commissioned online notary over video call. No joint appointment, no courthouse visit.

What took longer was what happened after the completed packet, including a proposed Final Judgment, was submitted to the court. Rather than reviewing the file and entering judgment on the papers alone — the more common path in an uncontested case with no disputes — the assigned judge asked for a short virtual hearing before signing off. That meant formally notifying both spouses of the hearing date, and one of them was genuinely difficult to reach in the weeks before it. The firm kept the court updated on those efforts, the hearing was ultimately held as scheduled, and the judge entered the Final Judgment without incident immediately afterward.

The lesson isn't really about this couple's circumstances — it's that in an uncontested Florida divorce, an agreed settlement removes the substantive fight, but it doesn't remove every procedural step a judge is entitled to require. A judge can ask for a brief hearing even when neither spouse is contesting anything, and if one spouse is hard to reach, notifying them of that hearing becomes its own small project. From retainer to Final Judgment, the case still closed within about eleven weeks — but nearly all of that time sat in the gap between "the paperwork is done" and "the judge has what they asked for."

What Slowed This Case Down

The judge assigned to the case asked for a short hearing on the Final Judgment rather than entering it on the papers alone, even though the settlement was fully agreed and uncontested.

Formally notifying the responding spouse of that hearing took considerably longer than expected, since he was difficult to reach in the weeks beforehand. The firm documented its notice efforts for the court while continuing to try to reach him.

The hearing was ultimately held as scheduled and the Final Judgment was entered the same day, without incident.

Frequently Asked Questions

If both spouses agree on everything, will a Florida judge still require a hearing?

It depends on the judge and circuit. Many uncontested cases with a complete, agreed settlement are reviewed and entered on the papers alone, with no hearing at all. But a judge is not required to do that — some will ask for a short hearing, even a brief virtual one, before entering a Final Judgment, simply to confirm both parties understand and accept the terms on the record.

What happens if a spouse is hard to reach for a required court notice?

The case doesn't move forward on that step until proper notice is documented for the court. That can mean trying multiple contact methods, keeping a clear record of each attempt, and sometimes asking the court for guidance on what will satisfy the notice requirement. It's an inconvenience, not a dead end, but it does add time.

Does a short marriage make a Florida divorce simpler?

Often, yes, in terms of what there is to divide. A shorter marriage frequently means less commingled property, fewer joint accounts, and a shorter or nonexistent alimony question. But the length of the marriage doesn't affect a court's procedural requirements — a judge can still ask for a hearing, request additional documentation, or otherwise take the time they consider necessary.

Do both spouses have to appear in person for an uncontested divorce hearing in Florida?

Not necessarily. Many circuits allow hearings in uncontested cases to be held remotely, by video call, which avoids the need for either spouse to travel to a courthouse.