What’s next for the plaintiff at this stage
Procedurally, the near-term steps in a Philadelphia divorce are straightforward and often administrative:
- Service and waiting period. After the complaint is filed and served, Pennsylvania permits a 90-day cooling-off period before a consent divorce can be finalized, provided both parties file Affidavits of Consent. If one party will not consent, a no-fault divorce may proceed after the parties have lived “separate and apart” for at least one year. Philadelphia Courts
- Support during the case.A dependent spouse may seek Spousal Support (even pre-filing), Alimony Pendente Lite (APL) during the litigation, and—post-decree—alimony if warranted by statutory factors. APL and spousal support end when the decree is entered; any ongoing obligation becomes alimony if ordered. David Wenger, Attorney
- Property disclosures and negotiation.The parties typically exchange financial information and attempt to resolve equitable distribution (property division) by agreement or through court-supervised settlement processes. Philadelphia’s own materials emphasize that “equitable” does not necessarily mean 50/50. Philadelphia Courts
Why the date of separation will be crucial
Pennsylvania’s Divorce Code makes the date of separation a legal hinge point:
