Syag: Most of the cases that hit the news are well past that point. Many divorces take a few months because one side “refuses” to finalize the divorce until there is counseling or something like that. That’s fine, normal, and sometimes even recommended by the Beis Din. What is never, ever okay is refusing to give/receive the Get as a bargaining tool for money, custody, and stuff like that. The stories that are in the news are often well past the point of custody, money, etc. being finalized and yet the Get still isn’t being given.
If a legal divorce is finalized and the Get still isn’t being given, that’s usually a massive red flag that something very wrong is going on here.