Quick answer: Louisiana ties a no-fault divorce to time apart, not to a residence period: 180 days where there are no minor children and 365 days where there are. Under Article 102 the petition can be filed first, and the divorce is granted on a rule to show cause once that time has run from service and the spouses have lived apart for it.
This Louisiana divorce timeline calculator applies Louisiana Civil Code art. 102 and the time periods in art. 103.1. Enter the date you began living apart, your planned petition date and the service date: it shows the earliest legal date to file the rule, nothing more. A real case usually takes longer, because the financial and custody issues have to be settled or tried.
Louisiana divorce timeline rules at a glance
| Rule | What Louisiana says |
|---|---|
| Article 102 divorce | Granted on a rule to show cause after the requisite time has elapsed from service of the petition, or from a written waiver of service, and the spouses have lived separate and apart for that time before the rule is filed (La. Civil Code art. 102) |
| Time periods | 180 days where there are no minor children of the marriage; 365 days where there are (art. 103.1) |
| Article 103 divorce | The spouses have already lived apart for the requisite time on the date the petition is filed; fault-type grounds allow an immediate divorce (art. 103; Law Library of Louisiana) |
| Community property | The community regime ends by judgment of divorce (art. 2356), retroactive to the filing date of the petition |
| Interim support | The court may award interim spousal support on motion, and it ends 180 days after the divorce judgment unless extended for good cause (art. 113) |
| Residence period | None in the articles we read |
How does the Louisiana divorce timeline work?
- Residence and where to file. See Louisiana divorce residency and where to file.
- Agreement or dispute. See uncontested versus contested divorce in Louisiana.
- Grounds. See the grounds for divorce in Louisiana.
What does this divorce timeline calculator check?
The calculator adds 180 or 365 days to the service date and to the date you began living apart, and shows the later of the two as the earliest day to file the rule to show cause under Article 102. If you give a separation date, it also shows the earliest petition date under Article 103, which requires the time to have passed before filing. It cannot say how long the court will take, and it does not model fault grounds, which have no waiting period. Support and custody questions that arise during the case are covered by the Louisiana alimony calculator and the Louisiana parenting time calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How long must spouses be separated for a Louisiana divorce?
180 days where there are no minor children and 365 days where there are, living separate and apart continuously.
Can I file for divorce in Louisiana before the separation time has passed?
Yes. An Article 102 petition can be filed first, and the rule to show cause is filed after the time has run from service and from the separation.
Is there a Louisiana residency requirement for divorce?
The Civil Code articles we read name no residence period; ask the clerk of court how jurisdiction and venue apply to you.
Is there a waiting period for a fault-based divorce in Louisiana?
No. The fault-type grounds in Article 103 allow an immediate divorce.
Does the calculator tell me how long my Louisiana divorce will take?
No. It shows only the earliest legal dates; the real timeline depends on the court and on whether the spouses agree.
Official sources
- Louisiana Civil Code art. 102: judgment of divorce; living apart prior to rule
- Louisiana Civil Code art. 103.1: judgment of divorce; time periods
- Law Library of Louisiana: divorce, what you need to know
- Louisiana Civil Code art. 2356: causes of termination of the community
- La. R.S. 9:2801: partition of community property
- La. R.S. 9:335: joint custody decree and implementation order