You and your spouse have not lived together for some time. At first, you thought it was just a temporary separation and that the two of you would reconcile. But the time apart has made you realize that you actually want to end the relationship and file for divorce.
The problem is that your spouse won’t respond or communicate with you in any way. They ignore your texts and calls. They don’t reply to emails or social media messages. You send them a divorce petition, but they do not sign it or submit it to the court. You simply don’t hear anything back.
What comes next?
People sometimes worry that this means they can’t start the divorce process, but this is not the case. You still have some legal options.
For example, the court can sometimes issue a default judgment. If your spouse misses the deadline to respond to the petition, the court still has the ability to grant the divorce. They can divide marital assets, determine child custody and take other key steps. The court does not necessarily have to wait for your spouse to participate in the process.
The same applies in situations where you simply can’t find your spouse at all. Perhaps they have left the country, and you haven’t heard from them in months or even years. You still have legal options to end the relationship, with or without their involvement.
Navigating a complicated divorce
Issues like this can certainly make a divorce more complex. Take the time to carefully explore all of your legal options so that you know what steps to take.
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