How long does the formal judicial process take?
Each petition is dealt with individually, so it is not possible to specify how long the process will last. Generally, a decision is reached within one year of the judge’s acceptance of the case. Nevertheless, in no case can a decision or its date of issue be guaranteed. Moreover, no priest, deacon, or other parish minister is free to set a date for marriage until it is clear that both parties are free to marry. It is only if the Tribunal gives an affirmative decision, and this decision is confirmed by the Court of Appeals that a wedding date can be set with a parish.
