- 1). Get an attorney. If you cannot afford an attorney, check with Legal Aid, or other legal nonprofits in your area to see if you qualify.
- 2). If an attorney is not an option, go to the court website or the court itself to get the forms you'll need to file a response. The name of the court where the Complaint for Divorce was filed should be on the initial paperwork you received.
- 3). Once you get to the website or the court, find the papers you need to file a response. If you're on the court website, typically, the paperwork you'll need will be located under a tab or link titled "Filing" or "Forms." Print out the forms you'll need. If you're at the court itself, ask a clerk for the paperwork and a checklist of the paperwork if they have one.
- 4). Fill out all of the paperwork completely or to the best of your ability. If you do not know the answers to some of the questions and the answer is not available to you, write down that you do not know. The court may ask you about these answers later, but it's better than leaving an income box or expense box blank. If possible, type your answers.
- 5). File the paperwork. Once you have all your paperwork in order, and you're sure you have everything you need filled out, file the paperwork with the clerk. Usually, you'll need three or four copies of your response--one to keep for yourself, one to be served on your spouse and one for the court. Sometimes the court also wants another copy for their files or an attorney involved. Check with the court before filing to see how many copies you'll need and whether you'll have to serve your spouse.
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