Response to Petition for Dissolution

Being served with a Petition and Summons for Dissolution (divorce) or Legal Separation can be unnerving. It is an indication that your spouse is asking the court to end your relationship, and that is an overwhelming thought for most. In California it only takes one person to end a marriage. Despite one party not agreeing to or wanting a divorce or separation, the court has the power to end it.

The person that initiates a divorce is called, “the petitioner” and the other party is “the respondent. Once served with a Petition and Summons for Dissolution the respondent has 30 days to submit a response packet to the court. Not everyone is in the right frame of mind or has the financial means to hire an attorney to assist them.

At Green Giraffe, our unbundled legal services division can help you get the response packet completed and filed with the court within the 30 day deadline. Once you’ve met your deadline and have a moment to breathe, you can then determine how best to proceed. A litigated divorce is costly but sometimes cannot be avoided if the parties are not amicable. However, if you feel you and your spouse can come to terms on your own then an uncontested divorce might be the way to go. Either way our team can work with you to determine your options and the associated costs to help you move forward to a new beginning.