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Response to Petition for Dissolution (of a Non-Covenant Marriage) Without Children

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What is a Response to Petition for Dissolution Without Children?

Response to Petition for Dissolution Without Children

Sample Response to Petition for Dissolution Without Children legal document as created with Access Legal

This document is your opportunity to respond to a Petition for Dissolution of a Non-Covenant Marriage Without Children that was filed by the other party. If you have minor children with the Petitioner, you should file a Response to a Petition With Minor Children.

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In your Response, you have the opportunity to agree or disagree with each of the allegations in your spouse’s Petition, present your own allegations, and mention other issues that you would like the court to address.

File this Response Only If…

  • Your spouse filed a Petition for Dissolution of a Marriage Without Children, and
  • You want to file a Response with the Court saying you disagree with something your spouse stated or asked for in the Petition, or you want to make an appearance and block the possibility of a default judgment being entered against you, and
  • You and your spouse do not have underage (under 18 years old) children and  the wife is not currently pregnant by the husband

We recommend filing a response. Learn more about what happens if you don’t.

Get Started

Register for a free Access Legal account to browse our family court documents. Our step-by-step workflow will guide you through your Response. Remember, you pay nothing until you’re ready to purchase the completed document.

Time Table

If you live in the state of Arizona, you have 20 days to file your Response (including weekends and holidays). If you live outside the state, you have 30 days to file a Response. If you do not file within this period, the Petitioner is legally allowed to file an Application for Default, which would grant the Petitioner every request in the Petition.

Best Practices for an Effective Response

Many attorneys will draft a response by admitting or denying each element of the Petition. So if the Petition said, “So-and-so wants to maintain residence in the house,” the response would say, “I disagree with Petitioner’s position.” Instead, consider stating  your entire position in terms of what you want, rather than simply admitting or denying or agreeing or disagreeing with what was presented in the Petition. That way your Response can be viewed on its own and not only when the Petition is present.

We also recommend keeping the initial Response somewhat vague to leave yourself room for changing your position. If you are not sure of what you want at the time of filing a response, you may ask for an “equitable” distribution of debt and property. If you think you may qualify for spousal maintenance but are not sure how much to ask for, consider requesting “reasonable maintenance.” As you gather more information and continue in the process, you can further clarify your position. If you are unsure what assets or debts exist, you may use the discovery requests available to you via your Access Legal account.

What You Need

You should have the Petition available for reference when creating your response as well as basic demographic information, such as:

  • Address
  • Job title
  • Marriage date

Additionally, You Should Have:

  • A basic idea about the debts and assets accumulated during the marriage
  • Any debts or assets you or your spouse  brought into the marriage
  • Gifts or inheritance received

Get Started With This Document
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