When someone decides to file for divorce in New Hampshire, they have to provide appropriate notice to their spouse. The divorce papers will be served to this person, informing them of the upcoming termination of the marriage and essentially inviting them to be involved in the court process.
All states have different response times, and a person in New Hampshire has just 15 days to respond to this divorce paperwork. It is very important to act quickly and not to procrastinate to ensure involvement with the case.
What happens if your spouse does not respond?
If your spouse does not respond to your divorce petition, you do still have options to end your marriage on your own. You must wait the 15 days to give them a chance to consider their legal options, gather necessary paperwork and take other steps.
If they don’t respond by the deadline, you can then move forward with the divorce, potentially securing a default divorce ruling from the court. If that’s the case, you will propose the terms of the divorce, and the court can grant them even if your spouse is not actively involved.
This is a key point to keep in mind because there are those who believe they cannot proceed with a divorce without their spouse’s cooperation, meaning they would essentially be trapped in the marriage. But this is not how the legal process works. You always have the option to terminate your marriage, even without your spouse’s input.
That being said, a spouse who refuses to respond to the petition can complicate and delay your divorce, so it is important to know exactly what legal steps to take at this time.
