In many states there is a waiting period for finalizing a divorce following the filing of the lawsuit for divorce. This waiting period is intended to allow the spouses to “cool-off” and reconcile if possible. And some states require the spouses to have separated and lived apart for some period of time before proceeding with the divorce. In some states that require such a separation period, if the spouses reconcile and begin living together again (cohabitating) after separating, the separation period must be restarted before the divorce process can proceed.

The waiting period or separation period is often 30-90 days but may be as long as 5-18 months in states such as Arkansas, California, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Vermont. These waiting periods are generally in addition to any minimum time period a spouse must have resided in the county in which the divorce is filed before filing for divorce—known as the residency requirement.

In Minnesota, there is no mandatory waiting period after filing for divorce before the divorce can be finalized. However, Minnesota law does require that at least one of the spouses must have been a resident of the state for a minimum of 180 days (approximately six months) before filing for divorce. This residency requirement ensures that the state has jurisdiction over the divorce proceedings. While there is no formal 'cooling-off' period mandated by Minnesota law, the divorce process can take time to complete due to the need to resolve issues such as property division, child custody, and support. The time frame for finalizing a divorce in Minnesota can vary significantly depending on the complexity of the case and the level of agreement or dispute between the spouses.