In New York, it is possible to get a divorce without the other person signing. This is called a no-fault divorce, and it can be granted if the couple has been separated for at least one year. In order to get a no-fault divorce, one spouse must file a petition with the court stating that the marriage has irretrievably broken down. The other spouse does not need to sign this petition, but they will need to be served with papers informing them of the divorce proceedings. If the non-signing spouse does not respond to these papers within 30 days, the divorce can be granted without their input or participation.