[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/blog\/a-divorce-gone-awry\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/blog\/a-divorce-gone-awry\/","headline":"A Divorce Gone Awry","name":"A Divorce Gone Awry","description":"You may have seen movies like this: A man tries to divorce his vengeful and uncooperative ex\u00a0or vice versa. The ex, not wanting to give into the spouse\u2019s demands refuses to answer the\u00a0divorce papers\u00a0and sits on them, causing an extremely … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a>","datePublished":"2017-03-19","dateModified":"2025-05-07","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/blog\/author\/nmichlaw\/#Person","name":"Alward Fisher","url":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/blog\/author\/nmichlaw\/","identifier":10,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/63071aa228c966abd886a2cbb647b07806c39706d3fbac14fe9c4c475edc7457?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/63071aa228c966abd886a2cbb647b07806c39706d3fbac14fe9c4c475edc7457?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Alward Fisher","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/logo-fisher.png","url":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/logo-fisher.png","width":288,"height":103}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/featured-about-1.png","url":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/11\/featured-about-1.png","width":688,"height":382},"url":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/blog\/a-divorce-gone-awry\/","about":["Divorce"],"wordCount":388,"articleBody":"You may have seen movies like this: A man tries to divorce his vengeful and uncooperative ex\u00a0or vice versa. The ex, not wanting to give into the spouse\u2019s demands refuses to answer the\u00a0divorce papers\u00a0and sits on them, causing an extremely long and difficult legal litigation process eventually ending up with our hero\u2019s freedom and often a\u00a0subsequent true-love relationship. Well, in reality, it\u2019s not that complicated. Here\u2019s why.A divorce petition can be considered, legally, a lot like a lawsuit would. The \u201cdefendant\u201d (the ex) is being \u201csued\u201d (served a divorce petition) by the spouse in question. What happens when you don\u2019t answer a lawsuit? Well, usually, a default is reached, causing often undesirable outcomes for the \u201cguilty party.\u201d When a default is reached, you no longer have the right to fight for things like child support, child custody, or property division as you would if you complied. An important factor in this is whether the lack of answer was willing or not\u00a0because there are cases in which a defendant is unable to answer within the time frame, often 30 days, so keep that in mind if you\u2019re on the tail-end of the divorce petition.If you\u2019re not like the couple in the movies: Two kids, a mortgage, cars \u2013 you may not need to go through a traditional divorce. There is a legal process known as a\u00a0summary divorce which is a streamlined process offering you cheaper legal fees, less time, and less court involved. How do I qualify for summary divorce? Well, if you\u2019ve been married for less than five years (in some states this is different), have no minor children, no mortgage or home, and your\u00a0marital property is worth less than $35,000 not counting vehicles, then you might be eligible. First, check the eligibility requirements in your state, and keep in mind that both you and your spouse give up your right to spousal support in a case of summary divorce, but think of all that time and money saved!Whether you\u2019re involved in a long, difficult divorce, or a quick and easy one,\u00a0divorce\u00a0is usually a hard process for both spouses. Always consult with legal counsel including utilizing free case reviews from divorce attorneys to find out what is right for you."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Blog","item":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/blog\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"A Divorce Gone Awry","item":"https:\/\/nmichlaw.com\/blog\/a-divorce-gone-awry\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]