A divorce is uncontested if:
- The parties agree to the divorce
- The parties have been separated for the required length of time (either six months if the separation is mutual and voluntary, or one year if the separation is not mutual and voluntary), and
- The parties are in complete agreement about all issues involved in the marriage, for example, child support, custody of the children, how their property will be divided, etc.
A divorce is contested if the parties do not agree about one or more of the issues involved.
Then they either attempt to resolve the issue or issues they disagree about by way of negotiation with the assistance of attorneys or they must ask the court to decide the issues for them.