A divorce officially begins when one party files with the court. If they are filing a complaint for a contested divorce, they must cite a ground of fault, such as abuse or adultery. In the case of a no-fault divorce, a spouse can file on the grounds of “irreconcilable differences,” which often operates as a catch-all term in these cases.
One of the most important first steps in filing for divorce is engaging with qualified legal counsel. An attorney could help a spouse complete the filing and explain the procedures and implications of doing so.
The filing party or their attorney must present the proper paperwork to the court and have it served upon the other party. The other party must have the documents physically handed to them, which may be done by a private process server to expedite the process.
The party who is responding to the divorce has 30 days to do so from the date that they are served. If they fail to do so, a default judgement could be issues against them, so it is important to act quickly. The spouse who initiates the divorce is responsible for serving the other party with any additional filings that their case requires.