Won’t Sign The Divorce Papers. You finally took the plunge and sent your spouse those long-awaited divorce papers. All you need them to do is sign it — except that they won’t. No matter what you say or how much you push them, they’re not budging. And now you’re worried that neither of you will ever be able to move on with your life.
The good news is that you can still get a divorce, even if your spouse won’t sign the divorce papers. It just might take a little more work. But before you let your emotions get out of hand, let’s look at a few reasons why they won’t sign.
Why won’t my spouse sign?
They are being difficult on purpose
It’s not that they believe the divorce won’t happen. They may not even have an issue with anything that’s outlined in the divorce papers. Heck, they may want the divorce just as badly as you do. But they love to see you squirm. They get to be difficult, vindictive, and they can potentially drag out the process so that you have to put in more work.
They object to the grounds of the divorce
Grounds are legally sufficient reasons for why the marriage should end, and it could be that your spouse doesn’t agree that your reasons are valid. Grounds for divorce are required in ceremonial and common law marriages and are divided into “fault” and “no-fault” grounds. If the grounds outlined are not valid, the court can dismiss the divorce petition. You can read more in-depth about each of the acceptable forms of grounds here, but below are a few:
- Insupportability
- Confinement in a mental hospital
- Adultery
- Abuse
- Conviction of a felony
- Abandonment
They want more out of the divorce
In addition to the first item on this list, your spouse might recognize that you want the divorce more than they do and are trying to create some negotiating leverage by not signing right away.
They could be in denial
On a softer note, your spouse may not want to sign because they are struggling to cope with the fact that their marriage is ending and might be hoping that you’ll change your mind. This is a natural piece to many divorces, especially ones that aren’t contentious. They’ll eventually sign, but first, they need to get to a point where they’ve accepted what’s happening.
So, what’s the best response when they don’t want to sign the divorce papers?
You could be stuck in a situation where your spouse won’t sign no matter what you do. But the first step is to open the lines of communication and ask them what their reasoning is for not signing the papers. If they are in denial, perhaps another conversation is in order. This is also a perfect time for you to show some grace by giving them the time they need to process everything. If they object to the grounds of the divorce, make sure your reasons are legitimate and talk through them with your spouse. Perhaps a little more understanding of the situation will allow cooler heads to prevail.
If they insist on being difficult, do not fuel the fire by losing control of your emotions. Let your lawyer take the wheel.
And finally, if you are at your wits’ end over them not signing the divorce papers, remember that a default judgment could be the easy answer. It will likely add another action item to the to-do list and drag things out a bit, but you’ll get what you want — even if your spouse ultimately doesn’t sign the divorce papers.
Call Nelson Law Group Today!!
Divorce is a life-altering event and will undoubtedly be very overwhelming for everyone involved. If you are facing this difficult decision, it is always a good idea to talk to a lawyer about your situation. Give our knowledgeable staff here at Nelson Law Group, PC a call if you have any further questions regarding this – or any other – issue.
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