How long does it take to get a hearing date in court in Massachusetts?
The length of time to get a hearing date in Probate and Family Court depends on a few factors. It depends on:
- Who your judge is
- What type of hearing you’re requesting
- What county court your case is located
Each judge in Probate and Family Court controls their own calendar. So depending on the judge’s availability is when you can get a hearing date.
The type of hearing you’re requesting is important because if you’re asking for a final hearing on an uncontested divorce which would take 15 minutes vs. if you’re asking for a full trial which might last several days, the court will schedule you faster for a faster hearing – especially if it is uncontested.
The last factor is which court you’re located. Some counties are faster than other. For example, currently, it’s much faster to get a hearing date of any type in Middlesex Probate and Family Court than at Suffolk Probate and Family Court in Boston. Also, if you’re asking to be heard at a satellite location that is not the main court location, then it will take longer to get a hearing because judges are not always available at the satellite locations.