A contested divorce is one in which the parties do not agree on the terms of the divorce. A contested divorce can take months or years to resolve. Some contested cases will eventually lead to trial. The parties often agree on the necessity of the divorce; however, they are not willing to cooperate to finish the process. The attorneys for the parties and the court will make every reasonable effort to resolve the case and bring it to trial. Ultimately, it is the parties themselves who must stipulate to complete the case.

Contested divorce cases can be quite expensive, as attorneys typically charge by office and court hours. Many small fortunes have been spent on legal fees for a failed marriage. It is usually in the best interest of the parties to achieve a quick resolution of the case.

A problem can cause a case to be contested. The parties can agree on everything except custody, child support, visitation, or property division. This area of ​​disagreement can cause a case to go to trial. Although the court will do everything in its power to try to bring the parties to an agreement, there are cases in which the court must hold a hearing and allow the parties to present their cases.

A trial can last less than a day in a simple case or it can last weeks in a difficult case. Cases involving custody disputes require the most time and interaction between the parties, the witnesses, and the court.