Many Alabama residents do not have a strong desire to become involved in court proceedings. Of course, individuals are often not involved in a case willingly, but rather only when they need to be, as is the case in a divorce. In any event, individuals who are part of a court case usually hope that the matter can be resolved as quickly as possible.

This is not always the case, however, as exemplified by one recent case that has lasted 17 years. The divorce case involves two law professors who were only married for 10 years, but have now been involved in court proceedings for 17 years.

Of course, this is an extreme case, the length of which is unheard of. The divorce lasted about five years in the case, which is about five times longer than a typical divorce. Since then, the couple has engaged in a number of disputes, including child support disputes, that have brought the couple back to court.

While most cases do not last as long as this one, there are occasions where individuals must go back to court, even after the divorce judgment is entered. For instance, where a custody dispute develops, one party may try modifying a child custody order. This can be accomplished by filing a motion for child custody modification, usually with the court that entered the initial judgment.

In these circumstances, it may be necessary to show whether the child custody circumstances have changed, particularly if the party seeks to modify the initial order within a relatively short time after the judgment is entered. Courts have the power to modify child custody or child support orders, but will usually only do so if the circumstances have changed such that the initial order should not stand.

Source: Alabama’s 13, “Divorce-related legal feud in Ohio lasts 17 years,” Aug. 12, 2013