Q: How long will it take to finalize a divorce in TN after 40 years of marriage without children, involving shared assets, with an uncontested divorce?

A: Minimum of sixty days to be final. It could be quicker but would not be certain, and apparently there are assets at risk.

A: As long as you two have sorted out how you all are going to distribute the assets, personal property and marital property and there is no push back from either side then it will be a simple process. Pursuant to Tennessee law, starting from the day that the Complaint is filed, the waiting period begins, which is sixty (60) days. Once the 60 days has passed then the judge will enter the final decree for divorce. There also needs to be a Marital Dissolution Agreement filed or presented to the court as well.

I highly recommend hiring an attorney to make sure you have all the documents you need to ensure the process goes smoothly.

A: In Tennessee, if your divorce is uncontested and there are no minor children, the court requires a mandatory 60-day waiting period from the date the complaint is filed before the divorce can be finalized. This waiting period is designed to give both parties time to reflect, but once it passes, the process can move quickly—often within a few weeks—if all documents are in order and the judge’s schedule allows. So in total, you're looking at a minimum of about two to three months, assuming there are no delays.

Because you’ve been married for 40 years and have shared assets, the division of property—including the home you're buying—will need to be clearly spelled out in a marital dissolution agreement. As long as you and your spouse fully agree on how to divide everything and submit the correct paperwork, the court generally respects your terms. Any mistake in the documents, however, can cause delays, so careful preparation is key.

Once the agreement is signed, filed, and the waiting period has passed, the court will schedule a final hearing or approve the divorce on the paperwork alone, depending on the county. The court is not interested in prolonging a peaceful separation. If you’re both on the same page and act promptly, you can bring this chapter to a close with dignity and clarity in just a few months.