How Long Does It Take
to Obtain a Family Court Ruling?

The question of delays and processing times before the Family Affairs Judge (JAF) arises very frequently. The response depends both on the nature of the proceedings and the specific jurisdiction seized. Yet one general reality remains: legal proceedings take time.

Procedures Requiring Mandatory Legal Representation

These primarily concern divorce proceedings.

In this framework, attorneys exchange written pleadings (conclusions setting out claims and legal arguments). The case is managed by the pre-trial judge (juge de la mise en état) who sets successive deadlines for each party to respond to the other.

This is often compared to a tennis match between lawyers: one submits pleadings, the other replies, and so forth. When neither party wishes to modify or supplement their submissions, the judge issues a closing order (ordonnance de clôture). The case is then argued at the hearing, and placed under deliberation for judgment.

On average, you should expect at least one year, sometimes longer depending on the complexity of the matter and the court's caseload.

Procedures Without Mandatory Legal Representation

These include, for instance, applications concerning parental authority or child support outside of divorce: JAF petitions.

Here, the procedure is very different: there is no formal pre-trial instruction phase (mise en état). The case is called directly to an oral hearing.

An adjournment (renvoi) can be requested by either party, with postponements varying by court: ranging from one month to six months. A second postponement is sometimes granted, which can further prolong the proceedings.

In total, even in these simpler proceedings, it often takes several months (3 to 4 months), or even over a year (if adjournments occur) to obtain a final ruling.

Delays in Delivering the Family Court Judgment

Once the hearing has concluded, allow approximately one month to receive the ruling; sometimes 2, sometimes 3 if the judge is overburdened and depending on the court, as there is no fixed universal rule.

It is also essential to know that the specific judge who presided over the hearing will render the judgment. Therefore, if your judge goes on long-term sick leave two days after your hearing, a new hearing before another judge will be required to obtain a decision. In practice, a full oral rehearing with all parties is rarely held because the case file is already deposited with the registry, but it nonetheless significantly lengthens the timeline.

A Justice System Strained for Resources

Proceedings before the Family Judge are rarely swift. The duration depends on the type of procedure and the jurisdiction, but one must be armed with patience.

When clients grow frustrated with these delays, we often suggest they contact their member of parliament (député) to share their distress and explain the practical toll of judicial delays on their everyday lives.

Indeed, the Ministry of Justice budget in 2024 represented only 1.4% of the national state budget. Family court offices are congested, and protracted delays do not foster appeasement during family disputes.

By Claire Quétand-Finet Family & Divorce Lawyer - Versailles Bar Association

PhD in Private Law · +10 years of experience in family & divorce law · University Lecturer for continuous legal expertise

See also:
Accelerating a Divorce - Litigated Divorce Procedure - Emergency Family Court Measures