If you are in the process of getting your legal marriage dissolved in the state of Oregon, there are some procedures you should be thoroughly aware of. These can be very important to know so that everything will go smoothly in your divorce proceedings and there won’t be any legal snags to hold things up. If you don’t understand these proceedings, then you might want to contact a Divorce Attorney Wilsonville OR to help you understand better.
If a lawyer is handling your divorce, he or she will have the divorce papers served to your spouse. If you are using “do-it-yourself” forms, the instructions will tell you what you need to do. Your spouse can agree to sign the papers indicating receipt or acceptance of the documents. Otherwise, the documents can be served by either the sheriff or an uninvolved third party such as certified document processor service. If you are the spouse being served and you agree with all the terms of the divorce as listed in the petition, you do not need to respond. If you want to challenge the terms listed in the petition, you must file a written answer in the court within 30 days after you were handed the papers. If you are not sure how to handle this procedure, then you will want to contact a Divorce Attorney Wilsonville OR. There is generally a fee required to file the response in the proper court.
Court costs and filing fees range from $100-$400. The circuit court clerk’s office at your local courthouse can tell you the costs and fees applicable in your county. If you cannot afford to pay the costs and fees, you can ask the judge to waive your payments or if it’s possible to set up a payment plan. You will need to show proof of income and expenses to qualify for this.
If you have to hire a Divorce Attorney Wilsonville OR, then you will incur attorney’s fees. These fees can sometimes be set so that your spouse pays them as part of the divorce settlement. The court will take into consideration that party that has the most stable income when determining this. If you receive certain public assistance benefits, or if child support has already been set, the Division of Child Support will receive copies of your divorce forms so that they can be notified of the outcome of the proceedings as this may affect your benefits.
How long it takes for your divorce proceedings to be completed will depend on the complexity of your case. If you and your spouse work out all the terms agreeably before filing the papers, then the proceedings will go fairly quickly. However, if you and your spouse cannot agree, then the case may go into mediation especially if you are filing for temporary orders such as child custody and child and or spousal support. If you are not sure how your case will proceed, the best thing to do is to seek legal advice from an experienced Divorce Attorney Wilsonville OR.
