A spouse should not ignore a divorce petition

When it comes to almost all legal matters, there are rules and procedures that must be followed. Should people fail to follow these rules, things may not work out as they planned. With divorce included in this list, it is important that spouses follow directions carefully, especially when it comes to responding to the divorce petition.

There are many reasons that couples will decide to throw in the towel on their marriage. Whenever this happens, there will likely be one party who files for the divorce, and the other will have to respond to the divorce petition. At that point, the filing party is giving them the chance to respond to the divorce and the terms their spouse has established. Spouses may feel hurt or angry, and it may be tempting to ignore the petition for divorce, but this is not a good idea.

Should one spouse decide that they want to contest the divorce, yet ignore the petition and fail to answer it, it may be assumed that they agree with the divorce and the terms that their spouse has set and, as a result, a default will be entered. Spouses have the right to dispute their divorce, but they are forfeiting this right by not responding to the petition. However, if they can present a valid, legal reason to contest the divorce, the courts may allow them to do so.

It is understandable for spouses to be emotional and find it difficult to deal with their marriage ending. Despite their feelings, if their spouse is adamant about getting a divorce, it is something that they can’t ignore, and they will have to answer the divorce petition regardless of how they feel. Anyone who has questions about the divorce process or needs assistance can contact an attorney with the Law Offices of Dorie A. Rogers.