Las Vegas Uncontested Divorce Lawyers

What Is an Uncontested Divorce in Nevada?

An uncontested divorce is one where both spouses agree on every issue before asking the court to end the marriage. In Nevada, that means full written agreement on five things:

• Division of community property and debts, including the house, vehicles, accounts, retirement, and everything owed; our property and asset division page explains how Nevada’s community property rules work
• Child custody and legal decision making for any minor children; our Las Vegas child custody lawyers handle both agreed and contested arrangements
• Parenting time, meaning the regular, holiday, and vacation schedule each parent will follow
• Child support calculated under Nevada’s statewide guidelines; our child support attorneys make sure the numbers hold up in court
• Spousal support, whether that is a set amount for a set term or a mutual written waiver of alimony

Nevada is a no fault divorce state. Under NRS 125.010, incompatibility is all the law requires; neither spouse has to prove wrongdoing, and the judge will not ask why the marriage ended. If even one issue remains unresolved, the case is contested, at least for the moment. That is where a mediated divorce comes in, and we cover it below.

The Nevada Joint Petition: The Fastest Way to a Final Decree

Most uncontested divorces in Las Vegas are filed as a joint petition for divorce under Nevada’s summary divorce statutes, NRS 125.181 through 125.184. Instead of one spouse suing the other, both spouses sign a single notarized petition as co-petitioners. There is no summons, no service of process, no waiting for an answer, and in nearly every case, no courtroom.

To qualify for a joint petition in Nevada, you and your spouse must:

• Meet Nevada’s six week residency requirement (one spouse is enough; details below)
• State that you are incompatible, or have lived separate and apart for at least one year
• Put your full agreement on custody, parenting time, and child support in writing if you have minor children together or are expecting
• Put your full agreement on dividing community property and debts in writing
• Resolve spousal support, either with a written agreement or a mutual waiver

A joint petition also waives certain procedural rights, including the right to appeal the decree, the right to written notice of entry, and the right to request a new trial. Those waivers are exactly why the process moves so quickly, and exactly why the paperwork has to be right the first time.

How the Joint Petition Process Works at Cohen Fic & Squires

1. Free consultation. We confirm you qualify, identify anything that could complicate the filing, and quote your costs up front.
2. Drafting. We prepare the joint petition, the proposed decree of divorce, the Affidavit of Resident Witness, and, if you have children, a parenting plan and support terms that comply with Nevada’s child support guidelines.
3. Signatures. Both spouses review and sign before a notary. If you have minor children, each parent also completes Clark County’s required seminar for separating parents, commonly called the COPE class.
4. Filing. We file electronically with the Family Division of the Eighth Judicial District Court, which hears every divorce in Clark County.
5. Summary disposition. A judge reviews the paperwork and signs the decree, usually without any hearing. We deliver your filed decree and walk you through every follow-up step, from name restoration to retirement account transfers.

Nevada’s Six Week Residency Requirement

Under NRS 125.020, at least one spouse must have lived in Nevada for six consecutive weeks before the divorce is filed, with the intent to remain. Residency is proven with a notarized Affidavit of Resident Witness signed by another Nevada resident who can confirm it. Only one spouse needs to meet the requirement; the other can live in any state or country and still sign a joint petition. It is the same six week rule that made Las Vegas the divorce capital of America nearly a century ago, and it remains one of the shortest residency requirements in the nation.

How Long Does an Uncontested Divorce Take in Las Vegas?

Once the residency requirement is met and every document is signed, a properly prepared joint petition usually moves from filing to signed decree within a few weeks; many Clark County cases finish in one to three weeks, though timelines stretch when the court’s caseload is heavy. Because the judge grants the divorce by summary disposition, there is normally no hearing to schedule and no courtroom appearance to make. Compare that to contested litigation, which routinely takes many months and can run past a year, and the value of reaching agreement becomes obvious. If you are searching for a quick divorce in Las Vegas, an uncontested joint petition is the legitimate version of it.

How Much Does an Uncontested Divorce Cost in Nevada?

An uncontested divorce costs a fraction of a contested one. The Clark County court filing fee for a joint petition currently runs a little over $300, with the exact amount depending on whether minor children are involved, and fee waivers are available for filers who qualify. Attorney fees for uncontested matters are modest and predictable; we quote them clearly at your free consultation, before you commit to anything.

A word of caution about bargain document services: a decree of divorce is a binding court order, and we regularly meet people paying thousands to fix a cheap divorce. Sometimes it is a pension divided on paper but never actually transferred, sometimes a house left in both names with no refinance deadline, sometimes support terms a judge later refuses to enforce. Our firm also offers Certified Divorce Financial Analyst resources through our Las Vegas Family Law Solutions division, so the settlement you sign actually adds up. Done right once is the affordable option.

Mediated Divorce: When You Agree on Almost Everything

Plenty of couples agree on ninety percent of their divorce and stall on the last piece: who keeps the house, what the summer schedule looks like, whether alimony is fair. That does not have to mean litigation. In a mediated divorce, a neutral mediator sits down with both spouses in a confidential setting and works the remaining issues to a written agreement that you control, not a judge.

Cohen Fic & Squires offers family law mediation services built for exactly this situation. Mediation can resolve:

• Parenting plans, holiday rotations, and school or medical decision making
• Division of the marital home, businesses, vehicles, and retirement accounts
• Child support add-ons such as health insurance, childcare, and activities
• The amount and duration of spousal support

Once the last issue is resolved, we convert your mediated agreement into a joint petition and file it, and your case finishes as an uncontested divorce. Mediating before anyone files is also dramatically cheaper than mediating after; in Clark County, contested custody cases get referred to the court’s Family Mediation Center anyway, so resolving the parenting issues up front simply skips the conflict.

Why You Still Need a Lawyer for a “Simple” Divorce

The joint petition paperwork looks straightforward. The consequences are not. Because the process waives your appeal rights, mistakes in an uncontested divorce are often permanent. These are the problems we fix most often for people who filed on their own:

• Retirement accounts and pensions awarded in the decree but never actually transferred, because no qualified domestic relations order was prepared
• The family home awarded to one spouse with no deadline to refinance, leaving the other tied to the mortgage for years
• Child support that deviates from Nevada’s guideline amounts without the findings a judge needs in order to approve it
• Parenting schedules too vague to enforce once cooperation breaks down
• Community debts left unassigned, which creditors can still collect from either spouse

One more thing worth knowing: a single attorney cannot ethically represent both spouses in a divorce, no matter how amicable it is. When you hire Cohen Fic & Squires, we represent you, prepare every document completely and accurately, and your spouse is always free to have independent counsel review the agreement before signing. That structure protects both of you and keeps the case moving.

When an Uncontested Divorce Is Not the Right Fit

We will always tell you the truth about your case, even when it is not what you hoped to hear. An uncontested divorce is usually the wrong tool when:

• There is a history of domestic violence, coercion, or a serious power imbalance; an agreement signed under pressure is not really an agreement
• You suspect your spouse is hiding assets or income; you cannot fairly divide what you cannot see
• The estate involves businesses, professional practices, or substantial holdings that need valuation; our high net worth divorce team handles those cases
• Your spouse refuses to participate at all; in that situation, a traditional divorce filing with a default decree may be faster than waiting for a signature that never comes

And if your case starts uncontested and turns contested, nothing is lost. The same attorneys who prepared your paperwork are experienced Las Vegas litigators, and we are ready either way.

Why Las Vegas Couples Choose Cohen Fic & Squires

Cohen Fic & Squires has practiced family law exclusively since 2003 and holds an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest peer rating a law firm can receive. Partner Lesley Cohen served in the Nevada State Assembly, and that legislative background translates into an unusually deep working knowledge of the statutes your divorce will be decided under. Partner Summer Squires was nationally ranked among the Top 10 family law attorneys under 40 by the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, and partner Holly Fic is known for the steady, client-focused advocacy that keeps amicable divorces amicable. Every client works directly with a partner, consultations are free, and our team provides inclusive representation for LGBTQ families under Nevada’s evolving family law landscape.

Uncontested Divorce Help Across the Las Vegas Valley

We prepare and file uncontested divorces throughout Clark County, including Las Vegas, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Summerlin, Spring Valley, Enterprise, Paradise, Green Valley, Boulder City, and Mesquite. Every Clark County divorce runs through the Family Division of the Eighth Judicial District Court, and because joint petitions are filed electronically and rarely require a hearing, we can handle your entire case wherever in the Valley you live, even when one spouse has already moved out of state.

Henderson office (main): 1013 Whitney Ranch Drive, Suite 100, Henderson, NV 89014. Get directions
Las Vegas office: 7878 W. Sahara Ave., #110, Las Vegas, NV 89117. Get directions
Call either office at 702-609-8432.

Uncontested Divorce FAQs

How long does an uncontested divorce take in Nevada?

Once Nevada’s six week residency requirement is met and both spouses have signed the paperwork, a Clark County joint petition typically goes from filing to a signed decree within a few weeks, and many cases finish in one to three weeks. The judge usually signs without a hearing, so there is nothing to schedule and no courtroom to visit.

How much does an uncontested divorce cost in Las Vegas?

The Clark County filing fee for a joint petition is currently a little over $300, with the exact amount depending on whether minor children are involved; fee waivers are available for filers who qualify. Attorney fees for uncontested matters are modest compared to litigation, and Cohen Fic & Squires quotes your costs up front during a free consultation.

Do both spouses have to live in Nevada?

No. Only one spouse must have lived in Nevada for six consecutive weeks before filing, with the intent to remain, proven by a notarized Affidavit of Resident Witness. The other spouse can live in any state or country and still sign a joint petition.

Do we have to go to court for an uncontested divorce?

Usually not. Joint petitions in Clark County are decided by summary disposition, which means a judge reviews the signed paperwork and signs the decree of divorce without a hearing. A hearing is only scheduled in the rare case where the judge has questions about the agreement.

Can one lawyer represent both of us?

No. Ethics rules prevent a single attorney from representing both spouses in a divorce, even a friendly one. Cohen Fic & Squires represents one spouse and prepares complete, accurate paperwork for the entire case; the other spouse is always free to have independent counsel review the agreement before signing.

What if we agree on everything except one or two issues?

That is exactly what a mediated divorce is for. A neutral mediator helps you resolve the remaining issues in a confidential setting, and once everything is settled, the agreement is filed as a joint petition and the case finishes as an uncontested divorce.

Do we have to take a class if we have children?

Yes. Clark County requires divorcing parents with minor children to complete a court approved seminar for separating parents, commonly called the COPE class, before the decree is entered. Each parent completes the class separately and files a certificate of completion with the court.