As we covered in a previous post ( What happens after my Divorce Agreement is approved by a Judge? ), there is a 90-120 day waiting period after your divorce is allowed before it becomes final in Massachusetts. But that 90-120 day waiting period may not be exactly 90-120 days from your settlement date: If you filed a Joint Petition for Divorce in Massachusetts then you will participate in an uncontested divorce hearing and the Judge will then issue Findings of Fact the day of the hearing. A Judgment of Divorce Nisi will issue after thirty (30) days, and it will become Absolute after a further ninety (90) days. This means that if you file a Joint Petition for Divorce you are not legally and officially divorced until at least 120 days after the divorce hearing date. If you filed a Complaint for Divorce then your case will end either with a trial (if you don't settle) or an uncontested divorce hearing (if you settle). If you reach an Agreement, then a Judgment of Divorce Nisi w...