Pendente Lite Hearing Information

A pendente lite hearing, which is Latin for “pending the litigation,” is a type of hearing that courts often use in a divorce matter.  It generally serves as a temporary patch for the larger pieces of litigation in a marriage, including spousal support, custody of minor children, and who gets control of various items while litigation is pending, i.e. the house.  While a divorce may not be finalized until after either a year of separation with children or six months of separation with no children and a signed separation agreement, a divorce may be filed prior to the time period occurring.  This type of hearing may then be requested.