You’ve been served with divorce papers and are not sure what to make of them. What exactlyaredivorce papers? In North Carolina, divorce papers are comprised of a summons and a complaint…
Summons: states that you must respond to the complaint with a written answer within 30 days after being served.
Complaint: the pleading that was filed by the other spouse to begin the process of divorce.
So, you’ve been served a summons and a complaint. What now?
- Adhere to deadlines! You have 30 days to respond to the complaint. You may also choose to petition for an extension of time, which will grant you 30 additional days to answer.
- Hire a qualified and experienced family law attorney. Contested divorces often require a strenuous amount of time and work, and mistakes could be costly. Working with an attorney will help ensure that you meet all deadlines and requirements and enable your case to run (more) smoothly than without an attorney.
- Organize your records and finances. Compile all relevant records that could be beneficial for your case, as well as begin separating your finances from your spouses.