Last Updated: September 14, 2026
Divorce goes more smoothly when you hire an experienced attorney early, stay financially transparent, communicate calmly (mediation helps), and protect your own wellbeing throughout the process. Below, we walk through each of those steps, plus what to actually expect from the Pennsylvania divorce process itself: how long it takes, what it costs, and whether you’ll have to go to court.
How Can You Make a Pennsylvania Divorce Go More Smoothly?
Most divorces get harder than they need to be for the same few reasons: the wrong attorney, withheld financial information, hostile communication, and neglecting your own health along the way. Address those four things and even a difficult divorce tends to move faster, cost less, and leave both spouses in better shape to co-parent or simply move on. The sections below cover each one, followed by what the Pennsylvania process itself looks like in terms of timeline and cost.
1. Work With an Experienced Pennsylvania Divorce Attorney
A good divorce attorney does more than file paperwork. They keep the process moving, act as a reality check when emotions run high, and know how your specific county’s family court actually operates, not just what the statute says on paper. That local knowledge (which judges prefer settlement conferences, which court staff are strict about filing deadlines, how a given county handles equitable distribution disputes) is difficult to replicate without practicing there regularly. An attorney also gives you a buffer: difficult conversations and negotiations go through them, not directly between two people who are, understandably, not at their calmest.
2. Be Transparent and Share Financial Information Openly
Gather your financial documents early: tax returns, pay stubs, bank and retirement account statements, mortgage records, and a list of shared debts. Withheld or late financial disclosure is one of the most common reasons an otherwise cooperative divorce turns into a contested one. It slows down settlement, triggers formal discovery requests, and, if a judge concludes information was hidden deliberately, can affect how the court views your credibility on other issues. Getting organized before your first attorney meeting, rather than during it, saves real time and money.
3. Communicate Calmly and Consider Mediation
Keeping communication respectful, even when it’s difficult, keeps negotiations moving and keeps legal costs down. Every hostile email or contentious exchange your attorney has to manage adds time and billable hours. For couples who can’t easily discuss terms directly, divorce mediation offers a structured, less adversarial alternative to courtroom litigation: a neutral third party helps both sides work toward an agreement on property division, support, and custody. Mediation is typically far less expensive than litigating those same issues in court and can be resolved in a fraction of the time.
4. Take Care of Your Physical and Emotional Wellbeing
Divorce is a major life stressor, and decision-making suffers when you’re not taking care of yourself. Prioritize sleep, lean on your support system, and consider talking to a counselor experienced with divorce and family transitions. Clearer thinking translates directly into better decisions about your finances, your children, and your future.
The Pennsylvania Divorce Process, Step by Step
Filing. One spouse (the plaintiff) files a Complaint in Divorce with the county Court of Common Pleas. The other spouse (the defendant) must be served within 30 days of filing, or within 90 days if they live out of state (Pa.R.Civ.P. Ch. 1920).
Grounds and waiting period. Most Pennsylvania divorces proceed as no-fault under 23 Pa.C.S. § 3301(c) or (d):
- Mutual consent (§ 3301(c)): Both spouses agree to the divorce. Pennsylvania requires a 90-day waiting period after filing before both parties can sign and file Affidavits of Consent. Once consents are filed and any property, support, and custody terms are resolved, the divorce can typically be finalized within a few months of the original filing.
- One spouse doesn’t consent (§ 3301(d)): The divorce can still proceed once the spouses have lived separate and apart for one year (for separations beginning on or after December 5, 2016; two years applied to earlier separations). This track takes longer and is more likely to require court involvement to resolve contested issues.
Settlement or trial. The large majority of divorces settle without a trial, through direct negotiation between attorneys or through mediation. If spouses can’t agree on property division, support, or custody, those specific issues go before a judge or, in some counties, a court-appointed master, while the no-fault grounds for the divorce itself remain uncontested.
Decree. Once consents are filed (or the separation period is satisfied) and all economic and custody issues are resolved, the court enters a final Divorce Decree.
What Does a Divorce Cost in Pennsylvania?
Cost depends heavily on how much you and your spouse agree on going in:
- Full attorney representation: averages $11,300 in attorney fees nationally (median $7,000), plus $1,480 average in other costs like filing fees and experts (median $500). Roughly 42% of people in the underlying survey paid $5,000 or less in attorney fees, so an amicable case runs well below the average. (Martindale-Nolo national divorce survey, via Nolo.com)
- Mediation: typically $3,000–$10,000 total, split between both spouses, for cases where the parties can work toward agreement with a neutral mediator rather than litigating each issue. (Nolo.com, citing Martindale-Nolo survey data)
- Attorney hourly rates: average $312/hour for family law attorneys as of 2023 data, which is why keeping negotiations efficient (steps 2 and 3 above) has a direct effect on your final bill. (Nolo.com)
The steps above, working with the right attorney, staying financially organized, communicating calmly, and considering mediation where it fits, are the biggest levers you actually control over where you land in that range.
Why It Matters
A smoother divorce isn’t just less stressful in the moment. It typically means a faster resolution, a smaller legal bill, and a better foundation for co-parenting or simply moving forward afterward. The choices you make in the first few weeks (which attorney you hire, how quickly you get organized, how you communicate) tend to set the tone for everything that follows.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Pennsylvania a no-fault divorce state?
Yes. Pennsylvania allows no-fault divorce under 23 Pa.C.S. § 3301(c) and (d), through either mutual consent (90-day waiting period) or a one-year separation if one spouse doesn’t consent. Fault-based grounds (like adultery or desertion) still exist under PA law but are rarely used, since they add time and expense without changing how property is divided.
How long does an uncontested Pennsylvania divorce take?
Typically a few months from filing, once the 90-day mutual-consent waiting period has passed and both spouses have resolved property, support, and custody terms. A contested divorce, or one proceeding on the one-year separation ground, generally takes a year or more.
Do I have to go to court to get divorced in Pennsylvania?
Most divorces settle without a trial. You may need a brief court appearance only if you and your spouse can’t agree on property division, support, or custody, in which case a judge or court-appointed master resolves those specific disputed issues.
Is Pennsylvania a 50/50 divorce state?
No. Pennsylvania is an equitable distribution state, not a strict 50/50 state. Courts divide marital property based on what’s fair given each spouse’s circumstances (income, contributions, length of marriage, and other factors), which doesn’t always mean an even split.
Can I get divorced in Pennsylvania if my spouse won’t agree?
Yes. If your spouse won’t consent, you can proceed under the one-year separation ground (23 Pa.C.S. § 3301(d)) once you’ve lived separate and apart for one year. This route takes longer than mutual consent and more often involves court resolution of contested issues.
How can I make my divorce less expensive?
Stay organized with your financial documents from the start, communicate as calmly and directly as possible, and consider mediation for the issues you and your spouse can work through together rather than litigating. Every hour your attorney doesn’t have to spend managing conflict or chasing down documents is an hour you’re not billed for.
Talk to a Pennsylvania Divorce Attorney
If you’re facing a divorce in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, or Bucks County, Graff & Associates can walk you through what to expect and help you find the most efficient path forward.
Graff & Associates, LLC
Phone: 215-572-6868
123 Old York Road, Suite 200, Jenkintown, PA 19046