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What are the steps to take after receiving divorce papers?

On Behalf of | Aug 28, 2021 | Divorce

Divorce can be tough for residents of Tennessee, especially when one spouse decides they want to end the marriage and the other has no clue. If this is the case for you or if you knew your spouse wanted a divorce, you may still experience a whirlwind of emotions when you’re served divorce papers. You must take certain steps to respond to the petition.

What should be included in your answer?

When you respond to a petition for dissolution of marriage, it shows that you are acknowledging the request for a divorce. You are also able to state whether you agree or disagree with the petition.

If you answer the divorce papers, you should clearly state your position on your spouse’s statements and proposals for matters included such as spousal support, property division, child custody and child support. usually, you can simply check boxes that acknowledge “admitted” or “denied” in your answer.

What if you fail to answer the divorce petition?

If you fail to answer the divorce petition, the court automatically assumes that you agree with the terms mentioned within the papers. That means that a default is put in place for the divorce case. In other words, if you don’t answer, you have waived your right to argue against any parts of the divorce.

However, if a default is placed against you because you failed to answer the petition, you may be able to ask the court to remove it if you wish to contest the divorce. You need to provide legitimate, legal reasons to do that.

While divorce is never an easy matter, you have options when you are served divorce papers. Be sure that you know all of your options especially when you dispute any of the terms of the petition.

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