The very first step in divorce proceedings is filing for a divorce petition. Typically this process is done by one spouse or the other. Without this step, a divorce cannot happen. What this means, is that the party who is filing no longer wants to be married to their spouse.
How Filing a Petition For Divorce Works
There are multiple ways that you can file for divorce. Please note that the specifics and the forms used are unique to the state that you live in. Here in Kentucky you can even file a petition online.
Important things to note:
- The person who files is known as the petitioner and the other spouse is the respondent. This is how you will be referred to throughout the entire process.
- If you are the petitioner, you have to pay a fee for filing.
- When you are the petitioner, you do have to list an address for the divorce papers to be delivered to. These papers are delivered to the respondent from a Sherriff.
My Experience With Divorce Petition
Believe it or not, I was not the one who filed for divorce, even though I was the one who left. I had been determined to talk to my ex-husband and determine if we could work something out. However, he made a huge power grab and filed for divorce a week after I left home. He needed to reclaim his sense of power and he was discarding me because he was no longer getting what he needed from me.
Like I mentioned above, you have to list an address for the respondent in order for the divorce papers to be delivered. I received a text message from my ex-husband saying that I was not acting like someone who needed a break, had ruined our marriage, and it was not fixable (eliminating my chance to confront him for what he did). He demanded to know the address I was staying at and stated that it would be a severe embarrassment to me if he sent them to my work. But that he would do so if I didn’t respond in 2 hours. I refused to give the address because I didn’t want him to know where I was.
I did end up receiving the divorce paperwork at my place of employment, hand delivered by a Sherriff. Thankfully, my employer was well aware of the situation and my supervisor was able to be there with me when I received the paperwork. No matter if you are the petitioner or the respondent make sure that you have a support system in place. Even if you want a divorce to take place, it is still a very difficult and emotional process.
