You have decided that you want to get a divorce from your partner in Ohio. You have talked to them about it, but you are the one who decided to take the first step and file a divorce petition. You know that you then have to serve that petition to your spouse, and they have to respond before the divorce can officially begin.
In Ohio, people generally have 28 days to submit their response or their answer to the divorce petition. So do not assume that this is an immediate process. Just because you serve them the paperwork today does not mean you will have their answer instantly. They could theoretically wait for almost an entire month while they consider their options and take other legal steps. But they do have to respond within that timeframe.
What if they fail to respond?
Naturally, there are cases where people do not respond. Someone may procrastinate and miss the deadline. In other situations, they may intentionally not respond, thinking that they can stop the divorce process if they ignore the paperwork.
In a case like that, the court can still move forward with the divorce case, even without your spouse’s involvement. This is sometimes known as a default divorce. So do not worry that you cannot end your marriage just because they have not responded. All they can really do is make the process take longer, because you still have to wait the full 28 days before you can move forward.
Understanding your legal options
Filing the divorce petition and serving it to your spouse is just one of the first steps you will need to take. As you go through the divorce process, be sure you know exactly what legal options you have at your disposal.