Not so long ago, many states had restrictions on remarriage following a divorce. In some states, a divorced person was required to wait up to a year before he or she could remarry. Today, nine states, plus D.C., have laws that limit the right to marry after divorce. In Nebraska, you must wait six months to remarry unless your ex dies during that time.
Wisconsin also has a six-month waiting period; if you marry during those six months, your marriage is “voidable,” which means it could be contested and only becomes valid when the six months are up. In Rhode Island, a remarriage within three months of a divorce is void, and in Alabama, a remarriage is void if it takes place within 60 days after the divorce – but valid if it legally occurs in another state (If you want to remarry the spouse you just divorced in Alabama, there is no waiting period).
In D.C., there is a 30-day waiting period following a divorce, and the same is true in Texas and Kansas. In the state of Illinois, you can legally remarry as soon as the ink is dry on your divorce decree. Since you can remarry immediately, the better question might be, should you remarry immediately? If you have questions regarding your divorce or a potential remarriage, a Wheaton, IL family law attorney can help.