Many married couples will end up getting a divorce for many reasons. A study published in the Journal of Family Issues finds infidelity to be the most common cause for divorce. In this same study, the next two most common reasons for filing were because of being incompatible and drug abuse, respectively. You’ll find it difficult to know which reason to list for your divorce if you can’t find your spouse. Here is what to do when you need divorce help because you can’t locate the other party.
Locating a Spouse on Your Own
A normal divorce will have someone serving papers to the residence of a spouse. You’re going to want to try everything possible to locate your spouse on your own. The most obvious way of contact will most likely be a cell phone. Next, check into social media accounts to see if you can find any location information for your spouse. Don’t worry, you don’t have to find the spouse to file for a divorce. Statistics show that women will end up filing for about two thirds of all divorce cases.
Creating a Publicized Notice
Family law providers deal with a wide range of divorce cases. You’ll find that a family law provider will most likely recommend filing an Order of Notice. You’ll find that these notices are often listed in public newspapers, in a similar manner to how other divorces are announced. An Order of Notice acts as a sort of legal alert designed solely for your hard to locate spouse. Location is an important factor in determining where to display this notice. You’ll often find the court will choose to run an ad near the last known location of your spouse.
It’s Time to Wait
When divorcing a spouse you can’t find, there only needs to be an attempt made to contact that person. You are at no fault if the person never ends up responding to your request. After a couple of weeks have passed, you should be able to take care of the remaining divorce matters. If you’re having trouble understanding what needs to happen next, you might want to contact a family law provider. It’s perfectly acceptable to need a divorce lawyer throughout your case. You’ll find a family law provider handles many types of divorces cases and is a great source of information.
In closing, filing for a divorce against a spouse can seem difficult when you don’t know their location. The first step is making an attempt to locate the spouse on your own. If you’re are unable to find your spouse, a type of public notice will be created. This notice if often ran in a public newspaper and basically announces the divorce. If you’ve still heard nothing after a couple of weeks, the divorce should be able to be finalized. A family law provider is a great source to have help you navigate through this situation.
