Tobey Maguire and jewelry designer Jennifer Meyer are officially divorced, almost ten years after announcing their split. Hollywood knows plenty about projects stuck in development hell, and it turns out a marital status can get stuck there, too.
The pair legally ended their marriage on September 21, 2026. But don’t assume Washington divorce courts require a ten-year commitment to ending a commitment. Take a closer look at the timeline instead. The years between a breakup and a divorce don’t necessarily represent years spent battling in court.
Also, they filed for divorce in California, not Washington. More on that later.
Did their divorce really take ten years?
The decade breaks into three stretches. Maguire and Meyer married in 2007 and announced in October 2016 that they were parting ways. Four years of quiet passed before Meyer filed in October 2020. Then came another wait of nearly six years before a judgment finally closed the case in September 2026.
Note that separating and filing for divorce are different events. A couple can stop sharing a home and build separate lives while remaining married.
The public timeline doesn’t tell us why each delay happened. A long separation isn’t proof of a bitter divorce, and a slow case doesn’t mean anyone spent years fighting over the good silver.
If anything, what’s publicly known points the other way: Meyer has spoken warmly about her co-parenting relationship with Maguire. Whatever the paperwork schedule, the friendship appears to have survived it.
Legally single does not always mean everything is settled
Even “finalized” needs a footnote here. Reports indicate that Maguire and Meyer’s marital status ended while other settlement issues remained unresolved.
That’s possible because California allows bifurcation, a procedure that splits one issue off from the rest of a case. In a divorce, a court can end the marriage first and sort out matters like property division later. The California Courts’ explanation of bifurcation describes how that works. In everyday terms, the spouses can be legally single while the case still has unfinished business.
So does the same apply in Washington? We’re glad you asked. Generally, it doesn’t. Washington’s decree of dissolution is built as a package deal: under RCW 26.09.050, a decree that ends the marriage is also supposed to address the division of property and debts, as well as maintenance and support. The closest thing to “single now, details later” is a case where the couple has already settled everything, and the court signs off on all of it at once.
So the next time a headline announces a finalized divorce, read it with a raised eyebrow. It may describe the end of the marriage without describing the end of the case.
How long does a divorce take in Washington?
Washington sets a floor, not a finish line. A divorce generally can’t be finalized until at least 90 days after the petition is filed and the other spouse is served, a requirement that comes from RCW 26.09.030. That’s a minimum, not an appointment for the decree to arrive promptly on day 91.
Maguire and Meyer’s calendar shows why the starting point matters. The clock runs from the filing, not the breakup. Had their case been in Washington, the four years between their 2016 separation announcement and Meyer’s October 2020 filing wouldn’t have counted toward that 90-day wait. Time spent living apart doesn’t earn credit, no matter how many awkward holiday arrangements were handled along the way.
Past the minimum, timing depends on the issues in the case and whether the spouses can agree on them. That’s why a public timeline rarely tells the whole story. LaGrandeur & Williams’ family law FAQs cover some of the ways a case can run longer.
What keeps a divorce from moving forward?
Some delays reflect genuine work. A business may need a valuation before spouses can negotiate its division. Missing financial records can prevent either side from understanding what a fair settlement would involve.
Disagreements about parenting arrangements can also require substantial negotiation or a judge’s decision. Court availability adds another scheduling constraint.
Other delays are more avoidable, such as failing to answer settlement proposals or repeatedly postponing document requests. These delays can keep a case pending.
Our firm has previously explored how divorce proceedings can drag on. Still, elapsed time alone says little about an individual couple’s conduct.
Give your divorce a plan, not an anniversary
If your case feels stalled, ask your attorney which issues remain unresolved and what the next step requires. Providing requested records promptly can help negotiations proceed with fewer gaps in information.
Mediation may help resolve disagreements when appropriate. Other disputes need a court decision. Neither approach should pressure you into accepting terms you do not understand simply to finish faster.
Your divorce does not need a tenth-anniversary celebration. It does need a clear plan. If you have separated or are unsure why your case is taking so long, contact us to discuss your options under Washington law.