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.