If you have been served with marriage dissolution (divorce) papers, then it is important that you take the situation very seriously. As you move forward, you want to ensure that your best interests and rights are protected. Regardless of whether you were expecting the divorce or not, your next steps can impact the outcome of your divorce case. While you are likely to be quite overwhelmed at first, it is possible to get started down the proper path by following the steps outlined below.

Read the Full Petition Carefully

Your first step is to never ignore the papers that you have been served. Instead, you need to read them carefully and thoroughly. In these papers, there will be a date on which you have to respond to the petition. In addition, the papers will let you know where the action was filed, which can be important if you have been estranged from your spouse and the divorce is potentially being filed in another state than where you live. Further, the divorce papers will outline the grounds for divorce and if your spouse has an attorney or is filing the papers on their own. All of this information is key to building your own solid strategy.

Provide a Response

Once you have determined the date that you must respond by and have taken the time to carefully review the paperwork, you must provide a response to the necessary statements in the papers. You can allege your own grounds for divorce and even propose a different allocation of debts and assets as well as matters like custody, alimony, and child support. You can draft your own response or consult with an attorney, but it must be done by the deadline outlined on the paperwork. Failing to do so can lead to the court granting all of the requests outlined in the paperwork to your ex-spouse.

Consult with a Divorce Attorney

When you are served with divorce papers, it is a good idea to schedule a consultation with a divorce lawyer. They will be able to evaluate your individual situation and discuss your options with you while also ensuring that your rights are fully protected. They will be able to help manage the entire process for you, which can reduce a lot of the stress for you during this difficult time.

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