What Happens after my Temporary Hearing?

So you've made it through the temporary hearing in your divorce case.  Maybe that turned out great for you.  Perhaps the temporary hearing was a disaster.  You may be extremely happy, or you could be pretty scared and depressed.  As an attorney, I've been on both sides.  So what happens after your temporary hearing?  Well, the case will move on.  Typically, discovery is the next step.  Discovery can consist of sending requests for information from your spouse and subpoenaing information from other entities.After we have a grasp of what the case is about and some more specific information that we have gained through discovery we can move on to mediation.  In Greenville County, mediation is mandatory in a contested divorce case.  If we are able to settle your case at mediation we will be able to request a final hearing immediately.  If not, we can continue to negotiate as we move forward towards a trial.The length of this phase of your case can vary based on the complexity of your case and the type of final hearing we need.  If we only need a 15 minute hearing, we could get into court quickly.  If, however, we need the court to set a trial that will last a day or longer we could be waiting several months for our court date.  This, of course, extends the amount of time necessary for you to continue as ordered under the temporary order.