To initiate a divorce, the party that is seeking the divorce must first file a petition with the District Court of the country where either person lives. The party who files is called the “petitioner,” and the other party is called the “respondent. If you are the one filing, you need to give the other party notice. You will do this legally, with what is commonly referred to as “getting served. The respondent must file an answer within 21 days. If they don't, they won't be able to avoid a default judgment. If your the respondent, you want to avoid a default judgment, or the chance to assert your legal rights. A default judgment will affect certain important factors such as child custody, alimony, and division of property and assets. If you are being served, you'll want to make sure you contact a lawyer as soon as possible so that you can better protect yourself.