Divorce papers? What to do now?

First, don’t ignore it!  All states have deadlines for people to answer divorce suits.  If you don’t answer in time, your spouse may be able to get a default judgment against you!  I suggest going through the divorce papers and then making a list of questions you have.  A lot of lawyers use the same forms repeatedly, so don’t worry if certain things seem like they don’t apply to you.  I always recommend consulting with a lawyer to determine what your rights are and to review all your questions.

I agree with my colleague.  When you are served, which is called "Service of Process", you should receive the court papers along with a Summons.  The summons will provide you information including how long you have to file a response to the Lawsuit/Divorce that you are served with.  One of the best first steps to take would be to schedule a consultation with a highly qualified Marital and Family Law Attorney (often referred to as a Divorce Attorney).  A consultation often consists of a detailed analysis of your particular facts and circumstances.  A discussion regarding the law and how the law applies to your facts.  And, an overview of different types of processes that you can use to resolve your matter and the general starting costs for each process.  You can expect a comprehensive consultation to be approximately one hour depending on the complexity of your matter.

This response is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as specific legal advice.  This response does not create an attorney-client relationship.