01Who this page is for
If your marriage has broken down — by agreement or against your wishes — a divorce in Pune is filed before the Family Court and typically takes six to eight months by mutual consent, or two to four years if contested. The right first step is understanding which path applies to you.
Most people arrive at this page at a difficult hour. You do not need to have decided anything yet. A first consultation is simply an honest assessment: what the law provides in your situation, what it will realistically cost in time and money, and whether settlement, mediation or litigation serves you best.
Mutual Consent Divorce
Both spouses agree. Two motions before the Family Court under Section 13B.
How it works →Contested Divorce
One spouse seeks divorce on grounds — cruelty, desertion, adultery.
How it works →NRI Divorce
Spouses abroad. Jurisdiction, video appearances and powers of attorney.
How it works →Custody & Maintenance
Interim maintenance, alimony and custody — usually decided alongside.
How it works →02The process, step by step
For a mutual consent divorce — the path most couples ultimately take — the sequence before the Family Court, Pune is:
Consultation & settlement terms
Alimony, custody, property and stridhan terms are negotiated and recorded — the foundation of the petition.
1–3 weeksJoint petition & first motion
The petition is filed and both spouses appear for the first motion. Statements are recorded before the court.
2–4 weeks after filingCooling-off period
The statutory six-month interval — which the court can waive where separation and settlement are complete.
0–6 monthsSecond motion & decree
Final appearance, confirmation of consent, and the decree of divorce is granted.
2–4 weeks03Documents required
Checklist — Mutual Consent Divorce
- Marriage certificate or proof of marriage
- Address proof of both spouses
- Photographs of the marriage
- Income documents (salary slips / ITR)
- Details of jointly held property
- Settlement terms, if agreed
- Evidence of separation period
- Passport copies (NRI matters)
04Honest timelines
The statute suggests six months for mutual consent. The Family Court's calendar, adjournments and the waiver question decide the real number — in our experience, five to eight months for a well-prepared mutual petition, and two to four years for a contested matter that goes to evidence. Anyone quoting you "guaranteed divorce in 30 days" is not describing a process that exists in Pune.
05Mistakes we see every month
- ✕Vacating the matrimonial home without adviceIt can affect maintenance, custody and the narrative of the case before a word is filed.
- ✕Informal settlements on WhatsAppTerms agreed in chat and never recorded in the petition are terms that don't exist.
- ✕Hiding income or assetsCourts see through it, and it costs credibility when credibility decides interim orders.
- ✕Treating the first motion as a formalityStatements recorded at first motion bind the rest of the proceeding.
- ✕Waiting out the cooling-off period unnecessarilyWhere separation and settlement are complete, a waiver can save six months.
06Fees, discussed upfront
Every engagement begins with a written understanding of the fee structure — consultation, drafting, appearances — before any work starts. What a matter costs depends on whether it is mutual or contested, and how far it must go; we will tell you plainly at the first meeting, and you will never see a charge we did not explain.
Adv. Indrajit Dongre
Leads the firm's divorce and family practice, appearing before the Family Court, Pune since 1998. Assisted by Adv. Rasika Kushte and Adv. Amruta Rasal.