[Office appointments are NOT required. If you cannot make it in, we will EMAIL (whenever possible) or US MAIL the forms to you for signing]
1ST APPOINTMENT - will be approximately 10-14 business days after you’ve submitted a complete questionnaire & have paid our preparation fee in full. For this appointment you will need your first court fee of $210. Money Order only & messenger fees (unless they were already paid upfront). Our office will contact you to set this appointment, or we can email you the forms for signing. ONLY YOU (Not your spouse) WILL SIGN THIS SET OF DOCUMENTS.
INDEX # - Approximately 10-14 business days after the 1st appointment, depending on the court, we will have your INDEX NUMBER FROM THE COURT. If it comes in sooner, we will contact you ASAP! **This Index # Expires 120 Days From The Date The Court Issues It. This means you have 120 days to have your spouse sign or be processed served. WE WILL CONTACT YOU ONCE WE OBTAIN THE INDEX #.
See the next scenarios BELOW:
YOU MUST HAVE 1 OF THE 2 FOLLOWING SCENARIOS PERFORMED “BEFORE” THE INDEX # EXPIRES IN 120 DAYS- Scenario #1 is if your spouse signs & scenario #2 is if your spouse refuses to sign/you have them processed served):
SCENARIO #1a - IF YOUR SPOUSE SIGNS WILLINGLY – YOUR SPOUSE AGREES TO SIGN – We will notify you once your spouse’s forms are ready for signing/notarizing. You can pick them up or we can email them to you so that you can get them to your spouse. Your spouse may sign anywhere they choose “before” the 120 day index # expiration or they can come into our office by appointment only for their signing. If your file involves property or children, you will sign as well (you do NOT have to sign at the same time as your spouse) – ONCE YOUR SPOUSE SIGNS/NOTARIZES WE DO NOT NEED THEM TO SIGN ANY ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS. WE NEVER DEAL WITH YOUR SPOUSE DIRECTLY & THEREFORE WE DO NOT MAIL OR DELIVER DOCUMENTS TO YOUR SPOUSE FOR SIGNING
SCENARIO #1b - LAST SIGNING WITH YOU - We will notify you approximately 14-21 business days after your spouse signs to set your appointment. This is the point when we will need your next court fee of $125. Money Order Only ($125. is an approximation; fees may vary by county more or less by $50). Our office will contact you to set this appointment or US mail your forms to you. ONLY YOU (Not your spouse) WILL SIGN THIS SET OF DOCUMENTS.
Next, this final set of documents will be filed & we will wait for the court’s decision which may take an average of 8-12 weeks or so, depending on the court’s schedule. The court will notify you once the Judge signs your papers & you must contact us when you receive the court’s notice. Lastly, the court fee for the Certified Copy of your Divorce Judgment ranges from $10- $55.
OR
SCENARI0 #2a – YOUR SPOUSE/DEFENDANT DOES NOT WANT TO SIGN & WILL BE SERVED; you utilize or hire a PROCESS SERVER & have your spouse served with the divorce papers “before” the 120 day index # expiration date (we can recommend a process server, contact our office). Keep in mind, when a party is processed served, there are waiting periods.
SCENARI0 #2b – YOUR SPOUSE/DEFENDANT HAS BEED SERVED & DOES NOT RESPOND; Your spouse is now in default. ONCE YOUR SPOUSE HAS BEEN SERVED, WE DO NOT NEED THEM TO SIGN ANY DOCUMENTS, WE CONTINUE THE PROCESS WITHOUT EVER GETTING THEIR SIGNATURE.
SCENARIO #2c - LAST SIGNING WITH YOU - This appointment will be approximately 6-8 weeks after the date your spouse was served. This is the point when we will need your next court fee $125. Money Order Only (this is an approximation; fees may vary by county more or less by $50). Our office will contact you to set this appointment (or US mail your forms to you). ONLY YOU (Not your spouse) WILL SIGN THIS SET OF DOCUMENTS. (The approximate 6-8 week wait is due to the court’s rules regarding waiting periods after a party is process served)
Next, this final set of documents will be filed & we will wait for the court’s decision which may take an average of 8-12 weeks or so, depending on the court’s schedule. The court will notify you once the Judge signs your papers & you must contact us when you receive the court’s notice. Lastly, the court fee for the Certified Copy of your Divorce Judgment ranges from $10- $55.
**NOTICE: If your spouse is process served as described in Scenario #2 and DOES RESPOND, then at no additional charge we will prepare VC forms & serve your spouse via US MAIL. If your spouse DOES NOT REPOND after we have them served via US MAIL with the VC Forms, we will continue your divorce process as stated without your spouse’s signature. Your last signing will be approximately 6-8 weeks after the date your spouse was served. This is the point when we will need your next court fee $125. Money Order Only (this is an approximation; fees may vary by county more or less by $50) Our office will contact you to set this appointment (or US mail your forms to you). ONLY YOU (Not your spouse) WILL SIGN THIS SET OF DOCUMENTS. (The approx. 6-8 week wait is due to the court’s rules regarding waiting periods after a party is process served)-
Next, this final set of documents will be filed & we will wait for the court’s decision which may take an average of 8-12 weeks or so, depending on the court’s schedule. The court will notify you once the Judge signs your papers & you must contact us when you receive the court’s notice. Lastly, the court fee for the Certified Copy of your Divorce Judgment ranges from $10- $55.
***NOTICE: If after being served your spouse hires an attorney to contest the divorce, We The People can no longer continue servicing your file. But don't worry, we will provide you with copies of all the forms we prepared up to this point so that the fee you paid us is never wasted.